THQ officially announced the game today, revealing a holiday 2011 release window in the process.
Set for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, Saints Row: The Third picks up with the player in control of the Third Street Saints. Once a small-town gang, the Saints have grown to control the organized crime within Stilwater, and even have their own brand, with licensed sneakers, energy drinks, and bobbleheads. However, the Saints' success has drawn the attention of the globally powerful Syndicate, a criminal fraternity that insists on a cut of the action in Stilwater.
It's not yet clear how much the gameplay will depart from the series' open-world formula, but THQ is promising "the most outlandish gameplay scenarios ever seen." To that end, THQ core games executive vice president Danny Bilson took a swipe at competition like the Grand Theft Auto series, noting, "There's no delivering pizza, no shuttling family members about in a long series of taxi missions."