It can’t be easy living under the specter of that other big open world franchise. But for Saints Row IV lead designer Scott Phillips, it’s just a matter of knowing what you’re doing and then owning it every step of the way.
When asked in an interview with Sticktwiddlers, how Saints Row IV would hold up against the “big dog” that was Grand Theft Auto V – which will release roughly a month after – Phillips replied, “GTA is an enormous franchise. They can announce nothing and people will talk about it for days. They’re gonna come out huge in September, no doubt.
“They’re gonna affect the entire market, but for us we feel like Saints Row, since Saints Row 2, has just been ‘we are not GTA’. We are not very similar to them.
“So yes, we’re open world just like they are, we’re modern day, but beyond that I think our games couldn’t be farther apart. Our game is solely focused on fun and enjoyment and having a good time and that’s where we feel we want to continue pushing the game.”
Also, Phillips mentioned that Saints Row IV would have tons of weapons and customization options, including the ability to “roleplay both your character and your weapon”.
“The biggest thing we brought with the weapon customization is the ability to roleplay both your character and your weapon. It’s just silly over the top stuff you can do with your weapons.”
“The main thing we brought with the fourth, Saints Row IV, is the amount of assets. A massive increase in the amount of clothes you can wear, the amount of cars, the amount of stuff you can customize is much much greater than it’s been in the past.”
Saints Row IV is set to release on August 20th for Xbox 360, PC and PS3.