Saints Row 3 officially official, to be called Saints Row:The Third

by: Chuck - posted: 3/2/2011 11:12:00 PM

THQ and Volition have officially announced development of a third Saints Row game today that will be called Saints Row:The Third.  The announcement is about as surprising as Nintendo announcing a Mario game for the 3DS as they've been hinting about the game for months and it's kind of the obvious thing to do given how well the last game did.

Game Informer has snagged the rights for most of the details about the game for their April issue but this bit of information was included in the release:

"Years after taking Stilwater for their own, the Third Street Saints have evolved from street gang to household brand name, with Saints sneakers, Saints energy drinks and Johnny Gat bobble head dolls all available at a store near you. The Saints are kings of Stilwater, but their celebrity status has not gone unnoticed. The Syndicate, a legendary criminal fraternity with pawns in play all over the globe, has turned its eye on the Saints and demands tribute. Refusing to kneel to the Syndicate, you take the fight to a new city, playing out the most outlandish gameplay scenarios ever seen. Strap it on."

It doesn't sound too bad and I'm guessing we'll get some nice parody about selling out and the marketing of goods like these.  The real question though is how far will Volition push the taste barrier with the game and what's up with not calling it Saints Row 3.  Feel free to speculate in the comments.

STRAP IT ON HOLIDAY 2011 WITH SAINTS ROW®: THE THIRDTM



THQ and Volition Inc. Take Open-World Action Over the Top and Then Some in

Next Installment of Vaunted Franchise.



AGOURA HILLS, Calif. – March 2, 2011 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Volition, Inc. ® today announced the upcoming release of Saints Row®: The ThirdTM, the highly-anticipated next installment in the multi-million unit selling Saints Row franchise.



Developed by Volition, Inc., Saints Row: The Third is scheduled for release on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC this holiday season.



“Saints Row: The Third puts you on top of the world, right at the beginning of the game, with all the perks that go along with being the head of an elite criminal organization,” said Danny Bilson, THQ Executive Vice President, Core Games. “There’s no delivering pizza, no shuttling family members about in a long series of taxi missions. Instead, you take all the power of the Third Street Saints and you take the world by storm.”



The first details of Saints Row: The Third will be revealed in the exclusive cover story in Game Informer®’s April issue, shipping to subscribers in early March 2011.



About Saints Row: The Third

Years after taking Stilwater for their own, the Third Street Saints have evolved from street gang to household brand name, with Saints sneakers, Saints energy drinks and Johnny Gat bobble head dolls all available at a store near you. The Saints are kings of Stilwater, but their celebrity status has not gone unnoticed. The Syndicate, a legendary criminal fraternity with pawns in play all over the globe, has turned its eye on the Saints and demands tribute. Refusing to kneel to the Syndicate, you take the fight to a new city, playing out the most outlandish gameplay scenarios ever seen. Strap it on.



About THQ

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com. THQ, Saints Row, Saints Row: The Third, Volition, Inc. and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.





All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.



The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “THQ”), including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to the relese of the Saints: Row: The Third video game and are based upon management’s current beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business, competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ’s financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2010, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q , and particularly the discussion of trends and risk factors set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.