‘Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell’ Standalone Expansion Trailer, Release Date

Earlier this week, Volition teased fans with the promise of details on a new game at PAX Prime this weekend. The most logical prediction was a follow-up to last year’s hilarious and bizarre Saints Row IV and fans of the open-world action adventure game have already started getting excited about what weirdness could arrive in the currently unconfirmed Saints Row V. The Volition Project Reveal panel took place at PAX this morning and although the fifth numbered installment in the Saints Row franchise wasn’t the reveal, it looks like fans of the series still have plenty to be excited about.

The announcement follows a string of rumors about a new Saints Row game, dating all way back to Christmas 2013, and it may not be a numbered installment in the series, but it still looks like it will provide plenty of content. The new standalone expansion, Saints Row: Gat out of Hell, will send the gang members to the underworld in January 2015.

In typical Saints Row fashion, Gat out of Hell embraces the franchise’s love of anti-realism and uses a game of ouija to send Johnny Gat and Kinzie straight to hell. As you might expect, the two are welcomed to the underworld by demons, historical figures, and eventually the man in charge. The trailer teases a showdown with Satan, in which gamers will be able to shoot the lord of the underworld in the face.

Gamers who missed the last installment (which we definitely recommend checking out) will be able to play the standalone expansion without purchasing Saints Row IV. The world is equipped for two-player co-op action and offers a sandbox about half the size of Saints Row IV’s.

The Gat Out of Hell expansion introduces a number of new weapons of chaos (some of which you can see in the screenshots below), including the Arm Chairmageddon, the Energy Caster, an apocalyptic Locust gun, and a plague of frogs creator.

One benefit of the game not being a full-on sequel, is the price tag. Gat Out of Hell will cost interested parties just $19.95 when it is releases early next year. Players will be able to dive into the underworld adventures on January 27, 2015 on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. New-gen gamers will have the chance to get the whole Saints Row IV experience next year, as well, with a PS4 and Xbox One re-release titled Saint’s Row IV: Reelected. The re-release will also include the Gat Out of Hell expansion.

It’s inevitable that some fans will be disappointed by the lack of a full-on sequel, but the standalone expansion does create a very cheap financial barrier of entry to get new players interested in the franchise. Hopefully Saints Row V does arrive eventually, and its sales are improved by the new market of shoppers who will be won over by Gat Out of Hell.

Are you excited for the expansion and the new-gen re-releases or are you disappointed that the announcement wasn’t Saints Row V? Let us know in the comments.

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Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell releases January 27, 2015 for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Saint’s Row IV: Reelected for the PS4 and Xbox One does not have a release date yet.

Follow Denny on Twitter @The_DFC.