The enduring Saints Row franchise is set to be revitalized through a familiarly-titled reboot, which is set to release on Aug. 23, 2022.
The new Saints Row game is a full reboot of the franchise, rather than a remake or reimagining of previous titles. Fans of the existing quartet of games are looking to the game’s release with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, as high hopes for the game’s success war with the desire to see the existing storyline continue.
For those who’ve been keeping up with news about the new title, details about what to expect are relatively clear, but not everyone is tuned in to the upcoming release. For these fans, details about what to expect from the 2022 Saints Row game can be confusing. Longtime players, in particular, want to know how familiar this game will be. It’ll be soaked in purple and heaps of wacky violence, sure, but will any of the longstanding favorite characters reemerge in the new Saints Row? Or are we set to see an entirely new team of malcontents take to the streets?
Will Shaundi and Pierce return in the new Saints Row game?
Questions about the return of two characters, in particular, are weighing on the minds of longtime Saints Row players. Shaundi and Pierce have been mainstays for years, with persistent roles in the majority of the existing titles in the franchise. Other characters — like the perpetually popular Gat — are also prompting questions, as fans wonder if these treasured characters will make a return in the reboot.
The upcoming game is not a remake of the old releases, but a complete reworking of the Saints Row formula. Some elements will certainly be familiar to longtime players, but the majority of the story — from the setting to the characters and plot points — is completely reworked. The new game is poised to introduce a new team of Saints, a new boss character, and a new city.
Shaundi and Pierce, along with Gat, Kinzie, and the rest of the established 3rd Street Saints crew, will not be making an appearance in the reboot. While some fans were hopeful that new characters might maintain connections back to the old team, reports are clear that no returning characters should be expected.
While this may disappoint some fans, it seems like a good decision on Deep Silver Volition’s part. The game studio behind the Saints Row franchise is looking to the future with its reimagining of the mega-popular franchise, and proving, in the process, that the franchise has far more to offer than familiar faces and dildo swords.