Saints Row: Boss Factory releases today, offering a full try before you buy character customisation experience
And it's free!
If you wanted to get a closer look at the customisation options that are in store for you ahead of Saints Row's release this August, you're in luck. Today, Volition unveiled its free to download Saints Row: Boss Factory.
As you may have guessed, Boss Factory offers you the chance to really get stuck into the game's character creator and make your own Boss (or Bosses plural, as you can indeed have up to six of them saved) and then have them ready to go for Saints Row's full release.
You will have access to all of the game's Boss customisation options, bar special progression-locked items (so yes, you can play around with those modesty emojis to your heart's content).
Additionally, anyone who does decide to download Boss Factory and then goes on to save and share a Boss will automatically receive two exclusive DJ Helmets in the full Saints Row game. That is, so long as its all done through the same platform account.
So, how exactly does one share a Boss?
Well, this is all done thanks to a seven-character share code that is generated with each Boss you create. This code can be given to anyone you wish to share it with, and they can then have a whirl with your creation in their own Saints Row gameplay. As well as this code, every creator will have their own display name that will be shown alongside their Bosses, so you can search for a specific person if you so wish.
Just as a general FYI, the aforementioned code and display name can be shared across platforms. So, if a Boss is created on an Xbox Series X, the share code can be used to create a boss on another platform such as a PS5 or PC and vice versa.
Additionally, community members will also be able to upvote character designs in Boss Factory and those that sign up for a Saints Row account via the Boss Factory hub will receive the exclusive Marshall Rocket Launcher, unlocked and ready to use in the full game.
I had a go with Boss Factory myself and created my own take on Queen front man Freddie Mercury (with a heavy dose of artistic license and a general lack of skill, so don't judge me).
Getting Freddie to this point was a pretty easy (and fun) task, so I am sure that others with a bit more finesse for these sorts of things will be able to get their characters looking much closer to those they have been inspired by.
Not that you need to look to anyone to give you inspiration. The option is there to make someone as unique as you like.
In another play around, I decided to freestyle my Boss, and threw together an, admittedly, rather bizarre ensemble. But I suppose that is the beauty of these things. There does not have to be any rhyme or reason for your choices.
Those keen to give Boss Factory a go for themselves can get cracking with it now. Simply head on over to SaintsRow.com or the Xbox, PlayStation or Epic stores to download direct to your console or PC.
For those using PC, below are the minimum and recommended spec requirements from Volition.
For more on Saints Row, you can check out my interview with Volition developers Kenzie Lindgren (associate UX designer) and Damien Allen (principal designer) here.