'Saints Row 3' expansion no longer in development, content merging with sequel

Saints Row: The Third expansion pack Enter the Dominatrix is no more and will be incorporated into the sequel.

Saints Row: The Third's standalone expansion, Enter the Dominatrix, will now be incorporated into the next full Saints Row title, publisher THQ confirmed today.

The project, tentatively titled "The Next Great Sequel in the Saints Row Franchise," is scheduled to launch next year, according to THQ president Jason Rubin.

"When I looked at the Enter The Dominatrix expansion in production at Volition, I was blown away by the ideas and desire to expand the fiction of the franchise," said Rubin in a prepared comment.

"I asked the team what it could achieve given more time, more resources, and a broader scope for the project. We all agreed we wanted to play that game. When it comes to Saints Row, it's clear our fans want bigger, better, and even more over the top, and that's why Enter The Dominatrix will now be incorporated into a vastly expanded, full-fledged sequel, scheduled for calendar 2013."

Rubin added they believe the potential for the sequel is far greater as a full-priced, full-length, and "connected" experience. The publisher predicts the decision will reduce FY 2013 sales by around $20m.

The standalone expansion, Saints Row: The Third - Enter the Dominatrix, was initially slated for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC for a suggested retail price of $29.99. The former expansion was said to carry on immediately after the events of the third game, and feature an alien warlord called Zinyak, super powers, and an elaborate virtual reality simulation of Steelport.

Recently Rubin spoke to Polygon regarding his feelings on the series, stating he expects more from the developers behind Saints Row: The Third.