Saints Row Series Ended Due to High Costs, Only GTA Can Afford Such Expensive Games
Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber Interactive, known for the success of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, has shared his thoughts on the end of the Saints Row series. The franchise was affected by the failure of its latest installment, and according to Karch, the reason for its downfall is that some games have become too expensive and lack direction. In today’s gaming world, Karch believes only the GTA series can afford to waste large sums of money without facing consequences.
No Clear Direction for Saints Row
In an interview with Stephen Totilo for his Game File newsletter, Karch explained, “The Saints Row team is no longer around.” He went on to explain his reasoning behind why it’s unlikely the series will see a new chapter soon. “They were too expensive for what they were. They didn’t know what they were doing. They had no real direction. It couldn’t last. And so, who would fund them for the next game after that disaster?”
Karch was clearly referring to the 2022 reboot of Saints Row, which received mixed reviews. It failed to meet expectations and left the fanbase divided. According to Embracer, the parent company at the time, the reboot didn’t satisfy fully, leading to a shift where Volition was moved from Embracer to Gearbox before the studio was shut down completely in August 2023.
The High Cost of Games Today
Karch also pointed out, “It would be nice in an ideal world if everyone had a job.” However, the reality is that games with nine-figure budgets are generating only single-digit revenues, which is harming many developers. “The days of throwing money at games, except maybe GTA, are over,” Karch said. “It’s over. The industry needs to mature. If it doesn’t, the whole business is at risk. Unfortunately, that means layoffs.”
Whether Saints Row will return in the future or whether its story has truly ended remains unclear. However, it’s worth noting that even with a subpar reboot, Saints Row was able to attract a large audience, though it wasn’t enough to break even.
