Sep 1, 2023

Volition, developer of "Saints Row," closed by parent company Embracer Group

Deep Silver Volition, developer of such hugely popular video games as "Descent," "Red Faction," and "Saints Row," has been permanently shut down by parent company Embracer Group, which acquired the studio in 2018.

The exact number of employees affected is not known, but is likely in the hundreds; according to Volition's Linkedin account, the studio employed 244 people at its Champaign, Illinois headquarters or working remotely.

In May of this year, Swedish video game holding company Embracer Group experienced its biggest share price drop ever following news that the company's previously announced $2 billion partnership deal had been terminated; according to Axios, the other party to the deal was Saudi Arabian government-funded Savvy Games Group, a Saudi Arabian government-funded company.

In June, Embracer announced a restructuring of its future operations, including studio closures and employee layoffs. Numerous sources familiar with the situation stated that a failed deal with Saudi Arabia was the reason for the restructuring.

Volition's closure comes after the company celebrated its 30th anniversary in June; founded in 1993 as Parallax Software Corporation, its first title was the classic sci-fi first-person shooter "Descent" and was followed by cult favorites such as "Summoner" and the "Red Faction" series; in 2006, the company released the first game in the popular "Saints Row" franchise, which was rebooted in 2022 to mixed reactions and poor sales.

Bolition's statement on the studio's closure reads:

For 30 years, the Bolition team has proudly created world-class entertainment for fans around the world. Driven by our passion for community, we have always been committed to providing joy, surprise, and delight. In June of this year, Embracer Group announced a restructuring plan to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of that program, we evaluated our strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition immediately. To support our team, we are working to assist members of the Volition family with job placement assistance and smooth transitions. We would like to thank all of our customers and fans around the world for their love and support over the years. You are all always in our thoughts and prayers.