It’s no longer a secret, Embrace Group is not particularly pleased with the reception given to the last Saints Row. Following this poor performance, repercussions within the studio were to be expected. Volition, but what was decided that night took everyone by surprise. Volition will now change creamery, while remaining within Embracer Group.
From Saints Row to Borderlands?
Volition and Deep Silver, it’s over. The studio will no longer operate at the publisher for the next few years, since Embracer Group has decided to transfer Volition to Gearbox for the studio to become a subsidiary division of Randy Pitchford’s business:
” Going forward, Volition will transition to become part of Gearbox which has all the tools, including an experienced management team in the US, to create Volition’s future successes. This is the first transfer from a major studio between operational groups internally, but it will not necessarily be the last. ยป
The last sentence is perhaps a sign of major changes at Embracer Group, which, let’s remember, has a large number of studios. The ambitions within the group seem to have gone up a notch since the takeover of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. We should therefore see upheavals in the way the group manages its workforce.
What about the future of Volition now? Given that the studio has been used to working on shooters with irreverent humor, it’s hard not to see it being pushed towards the series Borderlands. The future will tell.