Saints Row is today’s free PC game available on the Epic Games Store. This will remain the last game made by Volition since the 30-year-old Illinois-based game developer was closed down earlier this year by owner Embracer Group as part of their restructuring plans.
Truth be told, it had a lot to do with the unsuccessful release of Saints Row itself. Conceived as a reboot of the popular GTA-like open world franchise, the game was quite underwhelming when it first launched in August 2022 (as an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC). Critics and fans lamented several issues and shortcomings, and even Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors had to admit there wouldn’t be a great return on investment. However, over the following year, Volition worked hard to improve the game. They added AMD FSR 2.1 support on PC, three expansions, two free districts (Sunshine Springs and Vallejo), a combat overhaul, and other quality-of-life features. In August 2023, as soon as the Epic Games Store exclusivity ended, Saints Row launched on Steam, but the reception was mixed even there.
Still, if you’re itching for a GTA-like experience and don’t mind the sometimes excessive irreverent tone, you should be able to squeeze some fun out of this freebie. You have until tomorrow to redeem it, when it will replaced by another title. It should be noted that only the base game is free; the expansions (The Heist & The Hazardous, Doc Ketchum’s Murder Circus, and A Song of Ice & Dust) have to be paid for separately. However, they’re 50% off due to the holiday sale, so you can grab all of them for about nine bucks.
Welcome to Santo Ileso, a vibrant fictional city in the American Southwest. In a world rife with crime, a group of young friends embark on their own criminal venture, as they rise to the top in their bid to become Self Made.
