It was late 2011. Skyrim was about to swallow everyone’s social lives, and Modern Warfare 3 was breaking sales records. In the middle of that chaos, a game featuring a giant purple dildo bat and a luchador obsessed with "murderbrawl" hit the shelves. People often mix up the Saints Row 3 release date because the game has lived about five different lives across two decades. Honestly, tracking the actual launch of this thing is like trying to follow the Saints' own convoluted timeline.
The original Saints Row 3 release date was November 15, 2011.
That was the day Volition and THQ finally stopped pretending they were making a "GTA Clone" and decided to go full-tilt into the absurd. If you were in North America, you got it on a Tuesday. If you were in Europe, you had to wait until Friday, November 18. It landed on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, basically setting the world on fire with its "The Third Street Saints are now global celebrities" premise. It was a massive shift. You weren't just a street thug anymore; you were a brand.
The Many Faces of Steelport: A Timeline of Re-Releases
Most people don't just search for the 2011 date. They're usually looking for when the game hit "their" console. Because Saints Row: The Third has been ported more times than a classic Doom game, the dates get messy.
- The Full Package (November 6, 2012): This was the "complete" edition for the original consoles. It bundled in the Genkibowl VII, Gangstas in Space, and The Trouble with Clones DLCs. It was basically THQ's last big hurrah before the company's well-documented financial implosion.
- The Linux Port (April 15, 2016): A bit of a niche one, but it showed the game had legs.
- The Nintendo Switch Debut (May 10, 2019): This was huge. Playing a game this chaotic on a handheld felt slightly illegal at the time. It was the "Full Package" version, though it launched with some fairly notorious technical "jank" that needed a few patches to smooth out.
- Saints Row: The Third Remastered (May 22, 2020): This wasn't just a resolution bump. Sperasoft actually went in and redid the lighting engine and character models. It hit PS4, Xbox One, and PC (via Epic Games Store) first.
- The "Next Gen" Patch (May 25, 2021): Finally, the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions dropped, giving us that sweet 60fps at 4K.
Why 2011 Was Such a Weird Time for This Release
You've gotta remember the context of November 2011. Volition was taking a massive gamble. Saints Row 2 was beloved for its gritty-but-goofy balance, but for the third entry, they stripped away a lot of the simulation elements. They traded "eating food to heal" for "insurance fraud with better physics."
A lot of die-hard fans still argue that this was the beginning of the end for the series' soul. But the numbers don't lie. The original Saints Row 3 release date kicked off a period where the game shipped over 4 million copies within months. It was a certified hit. It proved that there was a massive market for "stupid fun" that didn't take itself seriously.
The game’s lead writer, Steve Jaros, basically leaned into the idea that if a mission wasn't "at least a little bit insane," it didn't belong in Steelport. This is why the game opens with you robbing a bank while wearing oversized masks of your own face. It was a statement.
Remastered vs. Original: Does the Date Matter?
If you're looking to play today, the May 2020 Remastered date is the one you actually care about. The visual difference is startling. The original 2011 version has that distinct "brown and grey" seventh-gen console filter over everything. The Remastered version uses a new lighting system that makes the neon of Steelport actually pop.
However, there’s a weird bit of history here. Some fans actually prefer the "jank" of the 2011 original. There’s a certain physics-based chaos in the initial release that feels slightly neutered in the more polished versions. Also, the 2011 PC version had a massive modding community on Steam that took years to migrate over to the Remastered edition (which was an Epic exclusive for a year).
What You Should Do Now
If you’re looking to dive back into Steelport, don't just grab the first version you see.
- Check your platform: If you're on PS5 or Series X, ensure you're getting the 2021 "Gen 9" version. It’s a free upgrade if you own the 2020 Remaster.
- Look for "The Full Package": On Switch, this is the only way to go. It includes all the DLC, which, frankly, is where half the fun is.
- Avoid the "Reboot" Confusion: Don't mix this up with the 2022 Saints Row reboot. They are completely different beasts. Most fans will tell you The Third is the superior experience if you want that classic Saints flavor.
Steelport hasn't aged perfectly—the humor is very "2011 internet," and the world can feel a bit empty compared to modern open worlds—but the gameplay loop is still addictive. Jump in, grab a jet with a laser beam, and remind the Syndicate why they shouldn't have messed with the Saints.
Go check your digital library; there's a high chance you already own a version of this from a random bundle over the last decade. It’s time to reinstall.
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Actionable Insight: Before buying the Remastered version, check if you already own the original on Steam. Many players received deep discounts or even free copies of the Remastered edition during promotional windows in 2020 and 2021. If you're playing on PC, the original 2011 version still supports the "Gentlemen of Steelport" mod, which is widely considered the best way to experience the game's intended (and unintended) chaos.