Rockstar Games' release of GTA 6 has intimidated publishers throughout the year, but the company has a history of this, as evidenced by a 2007 panic-inducing meeting held by Saints Row 2 developers over the approaching GTA 4 launch date.
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In a fascinating discovery, Andrew Borman, Director of digital preservation, uncovered a recording of an October 2007 meeting between Saints Row studio Volition and Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar. The meeting minutes revealed a tense competitive dynamic between the two franchises, as both teams grappled with the release timing of their highly anticipated open-world titles.
According to the recording, Volition and THQ were closely monitoring Rockstar's plans for Grand Theft Auto 4. The legacy and dominance of the GTA series in the genre posed a significant competition risk for Saints Row 2. In fact, Volition had originally planned to create an open-world heist game called Underground in 2003, but its marketing team deemed it not as impressive as Grand Theft Auto 3.
As the release dates for both games drew near, Volition and THQ grew increasingly concerned about potential delays for Grand Theft Auto 4. If GTA 4 slipped from its April 2008 release date to later in the year, it would overlap with Saints Row 2's planned October 2008 release. This scenario prompted the team to consider changing Saints Row 2's release date to avoid direct competition with GTA 4.
The recording also indicates that Volition and THQ were keeping a watchful eye on any potential DLC that might disrupt their release of Saints Row 2. The competitive posture Saints Row 2 took in response to GTA 4's presence on the market is evident in the meeting's slide, which ponders the question of whether Grand Theft Auto would slip and if Saints Row 2's release date would be changed as a result.
It's important to note that there's no detailed information suggesting Rockstar adjusted GTA 4's date due to Saints Row 2. However, Volition's cautious stance underscores the competitive tension between two major open-world titles vying for attention in a similar market window.
Fast forward to 2023, Volition shut down after 30 years of operation. The studio's legacy, however, continues to live on in the form of the Saints Row series, a testament to the enduring competition and innovation in the gaming industry.
[1] Borman, A. (2021). The recording of the October 2007 meeting between Saints Row studio Volition and Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar. Retrieved from The Video Game Archivist. https://videogamearchaeology.org/
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