# Volition (company)
**Volition, Inc.** (later **Deep Silver Volition, LLC**) was an American video game developer based in [Champaign, Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/champaign-illinois), best known for the *Red Faction* and *Saints Row* series and for its earlier work on the *Descent* and *FreeSpace* space-combat games. The studio operated for thirty years, from its 1993 origin as Parallax Software until its closure by parent company [Embracer Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/embracer-group) on August 31, 2023.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) • [2](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/saints-row-red-faction-studio-volition-closes-suddenly-after-30-years/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 1993 as Parallax Software by Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog; renamed Volition starting with 1998's *Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War*[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) |
| Location | Champaign, Illinois[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) |
| Signature franchises | *Red Faction* (2001–2011), *Saints Row* (2006–2022), *FreeSpace*, *Summoner*[3](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/) |
| Signature technology | The Geo-Mod engine, allowing large-scale destruction of level geometry, first shipped in *Red Faction* (2001)[4](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Geo-Mod) |
| Ownership history | THQ; acquired by Koch Media's Deep Silver division for $22.3 million in 2013 after THQ's bankruptcy; Koch Media was acquired by Embracer Group in 2018 and later rebranded as Plaion[5](https://gameworldobserver.com/?p=20635) • [6](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/DeepSilver) |
| Final game | *Saints Row* (2022 reboot)[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) |
| Closed | August 31, 2023, under Embracer Group's restructuring program; a WARN notice for 183 Champaign employees followed on September 20, 2023[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) • [7](https://warnfirehose.com/layoffs/company/volition-games) |
## Origins at Parallax Software
The studio began as Parallax Software, founded in June 1993 by Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog. Its debut title was 1995's *Descent*, a 3D space shooter that allowed free movement in all directions, followed by a sequel the next year.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) After making *Descent II*, Parallax split its offices in Champaign, Illinois and [Ann Arbor, Michigan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ann-arbor-michigan) into two separate companies: Outrage [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment) in Ann Arbor developed *Descent 3*, while the Champaign half became Volition and made *Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War* (1998), the studio's first release under its new name.[3](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/) • [8](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Deep_Silver_Volition) In its early years the studio focused entirely on the space-combat *FreeSpace* series.[3](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/)
## Geo-Mod and Red Faction
Volition's "big break" came with 2001's *Red Faction*, a first-person shooter built on the Geo-Mod engine, which let players destroy walls and terrain rather than fight around fixed geometry.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) • [4](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Geo-Mod) Development work on what became the first Geo-Mod engine began in 1998, while Volition was creating a six-degrees-of-freedom space shooter intended for release as *Descent 4*.[4](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Geo-Mod) James Tsai, assistant producer on the original game, said in a contemporaneous interview that developing Geo-Mod had been part of Volition's plan from the very beginning.[9](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Interview_With_James_Tsai_-_GameReactor)
*Red Faction* spawned multiple sequels ending with 2011's *Red Faction: Armageddon*, plus a movie spinoff.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) The series' destruction technology remained its defining feature: the 2011 *Guerrilla* entry ran on Geo-Mod 2.0, allowing realistic destruction of nearly any building the player saw.[10](https://as.com/meristation/2018/07/02/analisis/1530511200_177075.html) In the same early-2000s window Volition also released the *Summoner* role-playing games on [PlayStation 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-2), including *Summoner 2* (2002), and *The Punisher* (2004).[11](https://rip.so/volition.html) • [1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down)
## Saints Row and the THQ years
In 2006 Volition shipped *Saints Row*, an open-world game for [Xbox 360](https://www.edgepedia.org/xbox-360) that began as a competitor to *Grand Theft Auto* and grew into the studio's longest-running franchise.[11](https://rip.so/volition.html) • [1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) The series ran through several sequels, the 2017 spinoff *[Agents of Mayhem](https://www.edgepedia.org/agents-of-mayhem)*, and a full reboot titled simply *Saints Row* in 2022.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down)
Under publisher THQ, Volition also worked on *InSane*, a game developed with film director [Guillermo del Toro](https://www.edgepedia.org/guillermo-del-toro), which THQ canceled in August 2012.[3](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/) When THQ filed for bankruptcy, Koch Media acquired the studio and its assets for $22.3 million through its [Deep Silver](https://www.edgepedia.org/deep-silver) division, and the studio operated as Deep Silver Volition.[5](https://gameworldobserver.com/?p=20635) • [3](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/) In February 2018 Koch Media itself was purchased by Embracer Group, the Swedish games group headquartered in Karlstad, returning Volition to the THQ corporate family while Deep Silver continued as a publishing label.[6](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/DeepSilver) Koch Media was later rebranded as Plaion.[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down)
## Closure
Embracer announced a restructuring program in June 2023 after a planned $2 billion partnership fell through, warning of layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations.[5](https://gameworldobserver.com/?p=20635) • [2](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/saints-row-red-faction-studio-volition-closes-suddenly-after-30-years/) On August 31, 2023, Volition announced on LinkedIn that Embracer had "made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately," with the closure framed as helping Embracer "maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry."[1](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down) The studio had more than 200 employees at the time, and it was unclear how many would be transitioned to other parts of Embracer.[2](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/saints-row-red-faction-studio-volition-closes-suddenly-after-30-years/) A WARN Act notice filed on September 20, 2023 recorded 183 employees affected at the Champaign location.[7](https://warnfirehose.com/layoffs/company/volition-games) Embracer's 2023/2024 annual report lists a "Gearbox Volition, LLC" entity in Frisco, USA, reflecting the studio's final placement under Gearbox within the group.[12](https://www.embracer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Embracer-Group-publishes-Annual-Report-20232024-240620.pdf)
## Legacy and archive
Volition's catalog spans three decades of commercial game development, from the 1993 *Descent* beta to the 2022 *Saints Row* reboot.[13](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/i-visited-a-video-game-archivist-trying-to-preserve-some-of-the-worlds-most-forgotten-history-against-all-odds-and-sometimes-even-other-gamers/) After the closure, Volition developers chose to donate the studio's archives to The Strong National Museum of Play in [Rochester, New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/rochester-new-york), rather than discard them. The collection includes early builds such as a scrapped Batman stealth game for PlayStation 2, an unreleased 1999 [Harry Potter](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-potter) role-playing game that was never publicly announced, promotional items like faux snakeskin sneakers for *Saints Row: The Third*, and a lifesize replica of the Dubstep Gun from *Saints Row IV*.[13](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/i-visited-a-video-game-archivist-trying-to-preserve-some-of-the-worlds-most-forgotten-history-against-all-odds-and-sometimes-even-other-gamers/) • [14](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/a-zillion-years-before-hogwarts-legacy-pre-saints-row-volition-was-making-a-baldurs-gate-style-harry-potter-rpg-and-its-never-been-seen-by-the-public-before/) The studio's farewell message, posted September 1, 2023, closed with thanks to its community: "After 30 years Volition has closed, and we wanted to say a few final words."
## References
1. [Justin Carter (August 31, 2023). "Saints Row developer Volition has been shut down." Game Developer.](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/saints-row-developer-volition-has-been-shut-down)
2. [Kyle Orland (August 31, 2023). "30 years after Descent, developer Volition is suddenly no more." Ars Technica.](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/saints-row-red-faction-studio-volition-closes-suddenly-after-30-years/)
3. [Deep Silver Volition, LLC, MobyGames.](https://www.mobygames.com/company/895/deep-silver-volition-llc/)
4. [Geo-Mod, Red Faction Wiki.](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Geo-Mod)
5. ["Embracer Group continues to cut costs by closing 30-year-old Volition..." Game World Observer.](https://gameworldobserver.com/?p=20635)
6. [Deep Silver (Creator), TV Tropes.](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/DeepSilver)
7. [Volition Games Layoffs, WARN Firehose.](https://warnfirehose.com/layoffs/company/volition-games)
8. [deep silver volition - red faction wiki](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Deep_Silver_Volition)
9. [Interview With James Tsai, GameReactor, Red Faction Wiki.](https://www.redfactionwiki.com/wiki/Interview_With_James_Tsai_-_GameReactor)
10. [Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered review, AS MeriStation.](https://as.com/meristation/2018/07/02/analisis/1530511200_177075.html)
11. [Volition (1996–2023), rip.so.](https://rip.so/volition.html)
12. [Embracer Group Annual Report 2023/2024, Note 24.](https://www.embracer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Embracer-Group-publishes-Annual-Report-20232024-240620.pdf)
13. ["I visited a video game archivist..." GamesRadar+.](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/i-visited-a-video-game-archivist-trying-to-preserve-some-of-the-worlds-most-forgotten-history-against-all-odds-and-sometimes-even-other-gamers/)
14. ["Volition was making a Baldur's Gate-style Harry Potter RPG..." GamesRadar+.](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/a-zillion-years-before-hogwarts-legacy-pre-saints-row-volition-was-making-a-baldurs-gate-style-harry-potter-rpg-and-its-never-been-seen-by-the-public-before/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Game industry › Developers and studios › Individual studio profiles › North American studios*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license