(SeaPRwire) –
By: James Vance
The new Saw game, Genesis, retcons Jigsaw’s legacy—he wasn’t the first to use traps for “rehabilitation.” But the bigger issue is whether it can escape the curse of bad licensed asymmetric horror games.
Bloober Team revealed Genesis at Summer Games Fest. It’s an asymmetric multiplayer game: three players escape traps set by a fourth. The game is set a century before Jigsaw, focusing on The Judge—a WWI vet with Jigsaw’s exact M.O. He has a female Billy Puppet and bear-masked apprentices. Saw has nine sequels; Saw3 grossed over $164M, Saw X (2023) was most critically acclaimed. Twisted Pictures sold its stake to Blumhouse last year; James Wan will lead the next movie’s creative direction.
Licensed asymmetric horror games like Friday the 13th often fail. Genesis uses 1920s tech for traps, a fresh take. But its success depends on fixing common flaws: unbalanced gameplay, repetitive loops, and weak post-launch support. If it leverages Saw’s survival ethos well, it could work. If not, it’ll join the pile of forgotten licensed games.
Author bio: James Vance, Senior Columnist at TechWeekly, covers gaming industry trends and franchise adaptations.