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Embracer close Volition, developer of Red Faction and Saints RowA couple of months after their 30th anniversary
A couple of months after their 30th anniversary
Embracer Group have announced that they’re closing down Volition, the Illinois, US-based developer best known today forSaints RowandRed Faction. The announcement - which coincided with the predictably uproarious lifting ofStarfield’s review embargo, though I’m sure the timing is purely accidental - comes as part of broader restructuring at Embracer Group following a multiple-year acquisition spree, whichAlice0 reported on in June.
“This past June, Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of that program, they evaluated strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.
“To help our team, we are working to provide job assistance and help smooth the transition for our Volition family members. We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. You will always be in our hearts.”
I haven’t really thought about it before, but Volition’s games have sort of punctuated my life. The original Red Faction was my first experience of destructible terrain in a shooter - it had a wonderful multiplayer map where players shot rockets from opposing citadels, steadily reducing the architecture to Swiss cheese. After playing that I gravitated to FreeSpace, one of the grand old PC starfighter sims, and Summoner, a less-regarded but engrossing RPG.
As a fledgling games journo, I more or less wet myself at a preview event forSaints Row: The Third- less for the scripted jokes, admittedly, than for the fact that I kept getting the shoot button mixed up with the taunt button, which meant that my character would open every firefight with an Irish jig. I never really played Red Faction: Guerrilla, the studio’s barmy third-person smash ‘em up, but I’d always root for Volition when comparisons came up with DICE and their comparably demolition-oriented Battlefield series.
Volition celebrated their 30th anniversary just a couple of months ago. They created a special video for the occasion,published alongside the following: “the future of Volition is bright, filled with new adventures, challenges, and unexplored worlds waiting to be created. We’re thrilled to have you with us on this journey, and we can’t wait to see what the next 30 years will bring.”
Happy 30-Year Anniversary Volition!Watch on YouTube
Happy 30-Year Anniversary Volition!
Here’s to one of the giants.
