Embracer Group have introduced that they are closing down Volition, the Illinois, US-based developer finest identified immediately for Saints Row and Pink Faction. The announcement – which coincided with the predictably uproarious lifting of Starfield’s evaluation embargo, although I am certain the timing is only unintended – comes as a part of broader restructuring at Embracer Group following a multiple-year acquisition spree, which Alice0 reported on in June.
“The Volition group has proudly created world-class leisure for followers across the globe for 30 years,” reads an announcement posted to the studio’s LinkedIn web page. “We have been pushed by a ardour for our neighborhood and at all times labored to ship pleasure, shock and delight.
“This previous June, Embracer Group introduced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and preserve its place as a pacesetter within the online game trade. As a part of that program, they evaluated strategic and operational objectives and made the tough determination to shut Volition efficient instantly.
“To assist our group, we’re working to supply job help and assist clean the transition for our Volition relations. We thank our prospects and followers all over the world for all of the love and assist over time. You’ll at all times be in our hearts.”
Volition workers are at present discussing the state of affairs on Twitter. “I’ve been affected by immediately’s full studio closure of Volition,” VFX artist Ryan Hoss wrote. “So happy with the work me and my group did throughout my 7 years there. Having mentioned that, I am on the lookout for a brand new place as a senior/lead VFX artist or artwork supervisor. Any leads could be appreciated. #gamedev #volitionjobs”
Volition’s roots return to Parallax Software program, based in 1993 by Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog. Parallax’s first huge hit was subterranean vehicular shooter Descent, identified for its promise of “six levels of freedom”. Following Descent’s launch, Parallax break up in two, with Kulas remaining in Illinois to go up Volition, which was later acquired by THQ. Koch Media purchased Volition from THQ through the latter’s chapter proceedings throughout 2012-2013. Embracer then purchased Koch in 2018, reuniting Volition with their previous Summoner and Pink Faction IPs, which had been flogged to THQ Nordic.
I have never actually thought of it earlier than, however Volition’s video games have form of punctuated my life. The unique Pink Faction was my first expertise of destructible terrain in a shooter – it had a beautiful multiplayer map the place gamers shot rockets from opposing citadels, steadily lowering the structure to Swiss cheese. After enjoying that I gravitated to FreeSpace, one of many grand previous PC starfighter sims, and Summoner, a less-regarded however engrossing RPG.
As a fledgling video games journo, I roughly moist myself at a preview occasion for Saints Row: The Third – much less for the scripted jokes, admittedly, than for the truth that I stored getting the shoot button combined up with the taunt button, which meant that my character would open each firefight with an Irish jig. I by no means actually performed Pink Faction: Guerrilla, the studio’s barmy third-person smash ’em up, however I would at all times root for Volition when comparisons got here up with DICE and their comparably demolition-oriented Battlefield collection.
Volition celebrated their thirtieth anniversary simply a few months in the past. They created a particular video for the event, printed alongside the next: “the way forward for Volition is brilliant, full of new adventures, challenges, and unexplored worlds ready to be created. We’re thrilled to have you ever with us on this journey, and we are able to’t wait to see what the following 30 years will carry.”
Glad 30-Yr Anniversary Volition!
Here is to one of many giants.