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Saints Row about more than porn stars and dildo hats

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Saints Row is a GTA parody, clearly seen as the clown of the gaming industry.  It’s fun, silly and over the top.  So why were they less than impressed with the emphasis on porn stars in previous iterations?

Associate producer, Kate Nelson, told Edge:

“I did not always love how much THQ put an emphasis on porn stars. In Saints Row 2 and Saints Row 3 there was an emphasis on the penthouse girls, and earlier Tera Patrick. I think it’s important in marketing games to make sure that the essence of the game is what’s being marketed, and I think the porn star angle didn’t really fit in with what Saints Row is at heart, which is a parody. We like to poke fun.”

She goes on to say that Saints Row IV is less likely to enrage feminists:

“You can be an important female character – you don’t have to have a D cup either. You can be large woman, a small woman – you can be blue. You can be who you want to be in the game and you have powerful female characters written into the narrative. […] I hear women talk on panels and they’re like ‘there are no people that look like me in games’. Well, actually in my game [the main character] can look like you as our customization system is so extensive.”

Maybe, like all the other press people she criticizes, I just don’t get it.  However, it seems to me that the whole point of Saints Row is that it’s an awesome parody of the genre.  It’s fun, it’s silly, it’s bizarre – it doesn’t care about empowering women or minorities, it’s about the pure joy of shooting the dub step gun/cannon.  Nelson’s statements almost feel like they’re attacking THQ way after the fact, jumping on the bandwagon to ingratiate herself to new bosses.  \

Sure, porn stars weren’t exactly the focus of the game, but it’s not as if people use porn stars in marketing because they want to be taken seriously – they are a joke in marketing, too.  The whole point is that Saints Row does what it wants, parodies GTA, and has a solid place with many gamers as a brilliant guilty pleasure.  

Last Updated: August 6, 2013

16 Comments

  1. Umar Kiiroi Senk?

    August 6, 2013 at 09:17

    If you’re going to take SR seriously…you’re gonna have a bad time

    Reply

    • LordCaptainAwesomeness

      August 6, 2013 at 09:24

      Yup nothing says parody like a massive dildo bat

      Reply

      • Umar Kiiroi Senk?

        August 6, 2013 at 09:26

        lol indeed

        Reply

        • LordCaptainAwesomeness

          August 6, 2013 at 09:30

          nice girl…

          Reply

  2. brad coetzee

    August 6, 2013 at 10:00

    saints row is the greatest franchise ever. Next to Crysis.

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      August 6, 2013 at 10:42

      whats wrong with you!!!!!????? are you mad!! on crack? Saints row greatest franchise ever! dont make me laugh man, you know your fooling yourself. Crysis maybe not saints row. gta 5 will blow saints row out the water every time with one arm missing. hell so many better games than saints row. cmon man dont say stuff like that.

      Reply

      • Wtf101

        August 6, 2013 at 10:57

        Hey, I think Saints Row is the best thing to happen to gaming. Comparing Saints Row the Third to GTA IV? Saints Row is the clear winner based on fun to be had with a game.
        IN your first mission, you are robbing a bank. Not long after, you are on top of a bank vault being hoisted by a helicopter and shooting bad guys.
        Next mission, you are skydiving/free falling from a plane. IN THAT SAME MISSION you shoot out the windscreen of said plane, rocket through the plane, shoot the bad guy and you are back free falling, fighting bad guys, dodging falling cars and rescuing Shaundi, who is just so much hotter than Niko’s cousin Roman.
        Not to mention later on, when you are capturing a rival gangs penthouse? Show me where GTA drops you out of a helicopter, with Kanye West’s Power playing in the background and you blasting rival gang members like there is no tomorrow.
        What do you get in GTA?
        Cousin, do you want to go bowling?
        Cousin, do you want to go play darts?
        Cousin, I need your help I am in shit again…
        Cousin, Cousin, Cousin

        Reply

        • TiMsTeR1033

          August 6, 2013 at 11:11

          each to there own. Sure gta 4 wasnt that great as compared to crazyness and fun in SR3 but it had amazing graphics car physics good story and fun things to do. But you see where rockstar games have learnt from gta 4 and GTA 5 will blow saitns row 4 out the water man. i mean sure super powers and stuff are cool. But aliens and future crap what a joke they lost what made me buy saints row 1 and 2.

          I will say this yes saints row the third and 4 are good games I am sure. They wont ever be greatest franchises. never in million years. nor best thing to happen to gaming. saints row could fall off face of the earth wouldnt matter do that to gta and will have a outcry so big will never hear the end of it

          Reply

          • Wtf101

            August 6, 2013 at 11:16

            Eh. no. GTA is dead to me. I paid R800.00 for GTA IV and got what, a few hours worth of fun (if that much?) If GTA is never seen or heard from again, I won’t cry my eyes out.
            GTA IV was a great tech demo, but I would settle for fun over and above car physics.

          • TiMsTeR1033

            August 6, 2013 at 11:29

            maybe you just like over the top fun where anything is possible. I for one enjoyed gta 4 alot. was not a tech demo of any sort.

      • brad coetzee

        August 6, 2013 at 13:38

        Im just basing my opinion on how much entertainment was had over the course of the game. Its over the top and hilarious! Dress your character up like a clown and go watch a few cutscenes. Its too awesome. SR is better than GTA in my opinion. I love GTA too though.

        Reply

  3. brad coetzee

    August 6, 2013 at 10:00

    saints row is the greatest franchise ever. Next to Crysis.

    Reply

  4. Kromas

    August 6, 2013 at 10:44

    I’m sorry but this game is all about making fun of everyone. That’s like trying to pull all racial/religious jokes out of south park.If you do that you might as well just play GTA.

    Reply

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