The studio behind Saints Row and Red Faction is working on a new "action role-playing" franchise, according to a recent design director job posting on its official website. Volition's most recent dealings with the genre came in the form of the Summoner series, which saw releases for the PS2.
Details are scarce, as job ads aren't exactly press releases, but there's a notable mention that Volition isn't going at this project alone, and appears to suggest that the collaboration isn't with another video game studio. From the ad:
Volition is searching for a Design Director for a new action role-playing game. We are collaborating with a high-powered creative talent in the entertainment industry to develop this original, unannounced franchise. The successful candidate will have a proven track record leading design teams and creating AAA-quality player experiences.
You may remember Summoner as the game that went viral before viral was viral. Remember this?
== TEASER ==File this under "pure speculation," but it's possible that this RPG could be the fruit of the alleged partnership between THQ and visionary director Guillermo del Toro. The LA Times recently reported that the "big deal" partnership Del Toro mentioned in an earlier MTV interview was indeed with THQ as speculated. And the tag "high-powered creative talent" certainly jives with what the director has accomplished with other media.
The LA Times report asserted that the deal between del Toro and THQ was close to being finalized, so perhaps we'll learn soon enough if these pieces fit as well as they seem to. Also, consider this: an RPG that has monsters with eyeball hands. It's like a dream come true, right?