Volition Criticizes THQ's "Porn Star" Approach to Saints Row

Not everyone at Saints Row developer Volition was enthusiastic about the liberal use of porn stars in past games in the series, a new interview has revealed.
Speaking with Edge, Saints Row associate producer Kate Nelson explained that publisher THQ was responsible for the presence of porn stars in past games, something she and others at Volition didn't necessarily appreciate.
"I did not always love how much THQ put an emphasis on porn stars," Nelson explained. "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."



A character based on and voiced by Tera Patrick was included in Saints Row 2's Ultor Exposed DLC. She was also featured in the marketing for the game and was positioned as a "special producer," much to the chagrin of Nelson.
"Saying that someone who had no industry experience was in a role that is sexualized as a producer of our project, or saying the penthouse girls are our QA staff -- I just...I can see the humor in that angle of promotion but for me that's the line where it gets into reality," she said.
"Saints Row, in lots of ways, has empowered minorities and empowered women, which I think is important to get across," Nelson said. It's a point that has been made before, at least with regard to Saints Row: The Third. The Third also involved a porn star, albeit in a less prominent role, as Sasha Grey voiced one of the game's characters, Viola DeWynter.
If the use of porn stars in past games truly was THQ's doing, then it should no longer be an issue. Following the publisher's collapse, Volition was sold to the owner of Deep Silver, the company that is now publishing Saints Row IV, which is due for release on August 20 in North America and August 23 in Europe. It will also be coming to Australia, albeit in a mildly censored form that renders its co-op mode incompatible with copies of the game from elsewhere in the world.
Does the decreased focus on porn stars impact your opinion of Saints Row, or does the availability of things like an alien anal probe weapon render the whole discussion moot for you? Let us know in a Reply!