The reboot of the Saints Row series, which was released last year and received mixed reviews from both the press and fans, was close to being a direct continuation of Saints Row 4. However, this idea was discarded in the early stages of conception. This is according to an anonymous worker who was involved in the game’s development on Matt McMuscles’ YouTube channel, What Happened?

According to the developer, the original idea in late 2017 was for the reboot to be a sequel or reboot of Saints Row, but based on the ending of Saints Row 4. The same characters would be kept and the plot would involve the player rebuilding their gang empire from scratch, as the characters would be in a strange dimension or in the past based on the ending of Saints Row 4. However, there were many adjustments made to make the story make sense, and previously unplanned missions were added in the game’s production cycle to develop and give more depth to the characters.

The development of Saints Row was plagued with difficulties, such as crunch and a lack of cohesive ideas, which led to many people losing faith in the project and the studio constantly losing staff. At its worst, two to three people were leaving every week.

As for the reception of the latest Saints Row, the game meets the expectations of those who don’t demand more than what it offers: solid gameplay mechanics, charismatic protagonists, varied missions, and a powerful editor that allows for customization of the gaming experience. However, it has been criticized for playing it safe and avoiding the innovation that could have given a new twist to the saga.

Sources:
– Matt McMuscles (What Happened?).
– Analysis of the latest Saints Row.