Saints Row: The Third
A 2011 open-world sequel with a zany tone and customizable protagonist.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Saints Row: The Third is an action-adventure game from 2011, created by Volition and released by THQ. It follows 2008's Saints Row 2 and is the third main game in the Saints Row series. The game came out on November 15, 2011, for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, and later on May 10, 2019, for the Nintendo Switch. A remastered version, Saints Row: The Third Remastered, was put out by Deep Silver on May 22, 2020, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One; March 5, 2021, for Stadia; May 25, 2021, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S; and July 29, 2021, for Luna. Feral Interactive announced it for Android, iOS, and iPadOS with a release date of October 29, 2026.
The story takes place in the made-up city of Steelport and continues the tale of the 3rd Street Saints. Players once again control the gang's leader, who can be fully customized. Some years after Saints Row 2, the Saints have moved beyond their street-gang roots to become a big media and consumer brand, with many members turning into celebrities and pop culture figures. After getting stranded in Steelport—a city firmly run by an international crime group called the Syndicate—the Saints have to rebuild their forces to take over the city and beat the Syndicate, along with S.T.A.G., a violent paramilitary group hired to restore order.
Development kicked off in late 2008, not long after Saints Row 2 came out. The team saw a lot of staff changes from the previous Saints Row group; only one-fifth of the final 100-person crew had worked on an earlier game in the series. The developers wanted to give the series a more consistent tone, finding inspiration in movies like Hot Fuzz and the game's signature sex toy bat.
Critics generally liked the game, praising its over-the-top craziness and customization options. Some complaints focused on the new setting, which many felt was flat and not as well-developed as Stilwater from earlier games, and the humor was sometimes seen as lacking. Others, though, thought it perfected the Saints Row formula. The game was nominated for Best Narrative at the 2012 Game Developers Conference, got an IGN Editor's Choice award, and received perfect scores from GamesRadar and G4. A complete edition with all three downloadable content packs came out in 2012, and the planned Enter the Dominatrix expansion ended up becoming the sequel, Saints Row IV, released in 2013.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Saints Row: The Third
- Developer
- VolitionFishlabs developed the Nintendo Switch port, Sperasoft developed Saints Row: The Third Remastered.
- Publisher
- THQDeep Silver published the Nintendo Switch port and Saints Row: The Third Remastered.
- Director
- Scott Phillips
- Producer
- Greg Donovan
- Designer
- Bryan Dillow
- Programmer
- Nick LeeSR3 credits
- Artist
- Frank MarquartSR3 credits
- Writer
- Steve JarosSR3 credits
- Composer
- Malcolm Kirby Jr.
- Series
- Saints Row
- Platforms
- Original · PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360 · Microsoft Windows · Linux · Nintendo Switch · Remastered · PlayStation 4 · Windows · Xbox One · Stadia · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X/S
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Saints Row: The Third is set in the fictional city of Steelport and continues the story of the 3rd Street Saints. Years after Saints Row 2, the Saints have grown from a street gang into a media and consumer empire. After being stranded in Steelport, which is ruled by an international crime organization known as the Syndicate, the Saints must rebuild to take over the city and defeat the Syndicate, as well as S.T.A.G., a paramilitary unit contracted to restore order. The game's development began in late 2008, shortly after Saints Row 2's release, with high staff turnover—only one-fifth of the final 100-person staff had worked on a previous title. The team aimed for a coherent tone, finding inspiration in films such as Hot Fuzz and the game's signature sex toy bat.
Reader's Guide
Saints Row: The Third received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its general zaniness and customization options. Criticism was aimed at the new setting, which many felt was flat and underdeveloped compared to the previous games' Stilwater, and the lackluster humor. Others thought the game perfected the Saints Row formula. It was a nominee for Best Narrative at the 2012 Game Developers Conference, an IGN Editor's Choice, and received perfect scores from GamesRadar and G4. A complete edition including three downloadable content packs was released in 2012. Its planned Enter the Dominatrix expansion became the game's sequel, Saints Row IV, released in 2013. The game introduced experience levels and weapon upgrades to the series, and was the first in the series to intertwine the narratives of its three-gang structures, presenting story-altering decisions. It featured cooperative play and a wave-based survival mode called Whored Mode.
The Pivot Toward Absurdity
The original Saints Row earned a reputation as a Grand Theft Auto clone, a label that clearly motivated the Volition team to find a sharper creative edge. Beginning with the second installment, the developers made a conscious decision to push the series into territory no competitor was occupying: over-the-top gameplay, heavy popular-culture homages, parody, and self-referential humor woven into every mission. This was not a minor tonal tweak. It was a full rebranding of what a street-gang open-world game could feel like, and it gave the franchise a personality that felt genuinely singular. The gamble paid off in terms of identity, but it also split the fanbase. Players who had connected with the first game's comparatively grounded turf-war story found the escalating absurdity jarring. Saints Row: The Third, released in November 2011, landed squarely in that contested space—fully committed to the ridiculous while still relying on the structural DNA of the 2006 original. That creative tension between the grounded and the absurd became the series' defining internal conflict.
Escalating Stakes in an Open World
At its core, the Saints Row formula is deceptively simple: an open city, a respect-driven progression system, and a loop built around driving, shooting, and completing missions tied to rival factions. The first four titles are anchored in just two fictional locales—Stilwater and Steelport—each loosely modeled on real American cities. What sets the series apart is the sheer escalation of the player character's arc. What begins as an unnamed, silent figure who stumbles into a gang by accident in the first game. By the sequels, that same character has become the gang's leader, a celebrity, a pop-culture icon, and ultimately the president of the United States. The antagonists scale in kind: a corrupt corporation in one entry, an anti-gang paramilitary in another, and an outright alien empire by the fourth. The gameplay remains rooted in those familiar driving-and-shooting rhythms, with occasional role-playing elements, but the narrative ambition keeps climbing toward the surreal.
A Franchise at the Crossroads of Publishing
Development on the very first Saints Row kicked off in mid-2003, shortly after Volition wrapped Red Faction II, and the game shipped in August 2006. The sequel followed in October 2008, and Saints Row: The Third arrived in November 2011. That third entry holds a particular place in the franchise's history: it was the last Saints Row title published by THQ. When THQ collapsed, Deep Silver stepped in and acquired the series' rights in 2013, a transition that carried the franchise into its fourth installment that August and the standalone expansion Gat out of Hell in January 2015. Despite the corporate upheaval, the commercial numbers told a story of sustained popularity. By September 2013, the series had sold more than thirteen million copies worldwide, cementing its status as one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The publishing handoff, while disruptive, ultimately allowed the series to keep moving forward under new stewardship.
The Reboot and the End of Volition
In August 2021, a full reboot of the series was announced, and it shipped in August 2022 under the simple title Saints Row. The game relocated the action to a new fictional city called Santo Ileso in the American southwest, introducing a fresh gang simply called The Saints tasked with wresting control from the various factions already ruling the city. The reception was harsh. Critics and longtime fans alike felt the reboot failed to capture the spirit that had defined the original run, and it did not meet expectations. The blow was compounded by corporate restructuring. Within Embracer Group, Volition's parent company, the studio was shut down in August 2023. The Saints Row intellectual property, along with other Volition titles, was transferred to Plaion, another label under the Embracer umbrella. For a franchise that had sold over thirteen million copies and built a devoted following, the closure of its original creator marked a genuinely uncertain chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Saints Row: The Third?
It is a 2011 open-world action-adventure sequel developed by Volition and published by THQ, serving as the third main entry in the Saints Row franchise. Set in the fictional city of Steelport, it leans into a deliberately absurd, satirical tone while giving players full control over their protagonist's appearance and backstory.
What superpowers does the player character have in Saints Row: The Third?
The protagonist can unlock four distinct Super Powers—Super Strength, Super Speed, Super Jump, and Super Armor—each tied to one of the city's rival gangs. These abilities become available after you complete the story arc for the corresponding faction.
How does the story of Saints Row: The Third end?
After dismantling all four rival gangs, the Saints discover the President of the United States has been manipulating Steelport's chaos from the shadows. The game concludes with the Saints seizing control of the city and the protagonist standing as its new ruler.
Why is Saints Row: The Third considered significant in the series?
It is the point where the franchise fully committed to its over-the-top comedic identity and introduced a completely customizable protagonist in place of a fixed character. The title also broadened the open-world scope and vehicle roster, raising the bar for tone and gameplay in subsequent entries.
What platforms can I play Saints Row: The Third on?
The original 2011 release covered Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, with a Nintendo Switch port following in May 2019. Deep Silver's 2020 Remastered edition extended availability to PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and later to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and Luna.
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