Chris Stockman, design director for the original Saints Row, has been tasked with crafting a pitch for a prequel to the cult classic game. The proposed project, humorously dubbed Saints Row '77, aims to recapture the grounded yet offbeat satire of the first installment, distancing itself from the overly exaggerated approach of later series entries.
Creative Direction and Themes
Stockman, diverging from virtual reality concepts, intends to focus on the early satirical style of Saints Row while infusing it with a fresh narrative set in an earlier era. He assures fans that the new pitch will lean heavily into the social satire that defined the initial games rather than the extravagant features that surfaced in more recent releases.
The prequel aims to be a thoughtfully crafted return to the series' roots, with a more serious take on city-based intrigue instead of the expanded settings seen in subsequent iterations. Stockman’s comments signal a deliberate return to basics, likely to appeal both to original fans and new audiences alike.
Legacy Projects and Challenges
While Stockman focuses on new initiatives, the past project of a Saints Row 2 PC patch resurfaces occasionally in community discussions. This patch, intended to fix longstanding issues, remains incomplete following the death of key modder IdolNinja, who was hired by Volition before internal studio changes impeded progress.
Although not involved with this patch, Stockman acknowledges the community's concerns. A successful prequel could potentially reignite interest not only in the legacy entries of the series but also in unfinished projects, offering a modest, yet meaningful, boost to the franchise’s standing in the gaming community.
