Volition Inc.
The studio behind Saints Row and Red Faction, closed in August 2023.
via Wikipedia: Volition (company) · see source
Volition (Volition Games, LLC; formerly Volition, Inc. and Deep Silver Volition, LLC) was an American video game developer based in Champaign, Illinois. It is best known for its Red Faction and Saints Row series. Mike Kulas founded the company in November 1996 when he and Matt Toschlog split up Parallax Software, the developer they had founded in June 1993. At Parallax Software, Kulas and Toschlog had developed Descent (1995) and Descent II (1996) for Interplay Entertainment, which Volition followed with Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War (1998) and FreeSpace 2 (1999), while Toschlog's Outrage Entertainment developed Descent 3 (1999). Volition's Descent 4 was canceled and reworked into Red Faction (2001). The game, as well as Summoner (2000), was published by THQ, which acquired the studio in August 2000.
Quick Facts
- Former name
- Volition
- Inc. (1996–2013)
- Deep Silver Volition
- LLC (2013–2022)
- Industry
- Video games
- Defunct
- 31 August 2023
- Founders
- Mike Kulas
- Headquarters
- Champaign, Illinois
- Products
- FreeSpace series (1998–1999)
- Summoner series (2000–2002)
- Red Faction series (2001–2011)
- Saints Row series (2006–2022)
- Parent
- THQ (2000–2013)
- Deep Silver (2013–2022)
- Gearbox Entertainment (2022–2023)
Lore & Background
Following its 2004 move to downtown Champaign, Volition expanded rapidly from 80 employees to 175 by November 2006. With this increased headcount, the studio created the Saints Row series in 2006 and developed two further entries in the Red Faction series in 2009 and 2011. Kulas left the company in May 2011. During the development of Saints Row IV (2013), THQ filed for bankruptcy in December 2012, with Volition and the Saints Row intellectual property (IP) acquired by Koch Media for its Deep Silver label in January 2013.
Embracer Group acquired the Summoner and Red Faction IPs, while Interplay obtained FreeSpace. The studio developed the Saints Row spin-off Agents of Mayhem (2017) and the series reboot Saints Row (2022) to no commercial success. Embracer Group, which had since acquired Koch Media, subsequently transferred Volition to Gearbox Entertainment in November 2022 and closed it in August 2023.
Reader's Guide
Volition was founded in November 1996 by Mike Kulas after splitting Parallax Software. The studio developed Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War (1998) and FreeSpace 2 (1999). A canceled project, originally Descent 4, was reworked into Red Faction (2001). THQ acquired Volition in August 2000. After moving to downtown Champaign in 2004, the studio grew to 175 employees by November 2006 and launched the Saints Row series in 2006. Following THQ's bankruptcy in December 2012, Koch Media acquired Volition and the Saints Row IP in January 2013. The studio later developed Agents of Mayhem (2017) and the Saints Row reboot (2022). Embracer Group transferred Volition to Gearbox Entertainment in November 2022 and closed it in August 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What franchises is Volition Inc. best known for?
The developer created the Saints Row franchise and also developed the Red Faction series throughout their history. Their work defined a specific style of chaotic gameplay mixed with humor and customization options.
When was Volition Inc. acquired by another company?
The studio changed ownership in 2017, marking a significant milestone after years of independent operation. This event occurred while they were still the primary force behind the Saints Row identity.
What engine powered Volition's games?
They utilized their proprietary Volition Engine to power many of their titles, allowing for unique open-world mechanics. This technology helped facilitate the specific gameplay loops found in both Saints Row and Red Faction games.
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