Saints Row: Money Shot[1] is an unreleased game in the Saints Row series.

For the released DLC, see Moneyshot Pack.

For the Diversion, see Drive-by.

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Overview Edit

You are Cypher, a deadly assassin in the world of Saints Row, and you hunt the most elusive targets with the most sophisticated weaponry that Ultor has to offer. How sophisticated? You have the ability to control the path of your bullet to such a degree that you can weave through the hallway of an apartment complex, steer through the legs of a hooker, and even snake your way through a moving train! Avoid striking solid objects and unintended bystanders and make sure you hit your mark! — Leaked Description

This cancelled game would have been released on the Nintendo 3DS, the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network, and the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Arcade.[2] It would have been 580mb and would have cost 800 MS points.

It would have contained 12 Achievements, totalling 200 gamerscore.[3]

After it was cancelled, the unlockable rewards were released as part of the Moneyshot Pack DLC.

Development Edit

Saints Row: Drive-By was originally being developed for Xbox Live Arcade[4] , and was first announced publicly at Nintendo's 2010 E3 floor show,[5] No images of the game under the name "Drive-By" were ever released.

The game was said to take place between Saints Row 2 and Saints Row: The Third, and would have built players' enthusiasm up for the latter. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of this game were to feature connectivity with Saints Row: The Third that would have allowed the user to unlock special content for both games.[6]

On the 3rd of November, 2010, Danny Bilson, THQ's Vice president of Creative Development stated in an interview with Shacknews that they had changed the design and were going to something more unique.[7]

On the 3rd of May, 2011, Meristation reported that Saints Row: Drive-By was now listed as cancelled in the resume of a developer.[8] Meristation noted that the resume listed Drive-by as having been in development for PSN and XBLA, but did not mention the 3DS, and that the same developer was also working on an unannounced game for PSN and XBLA.

Meristation's report was re-reported by VG24/7, who contacted THQ for an official confirmation[9], but it was Joystiq who received the reply from THQ that "[THQ] are not developing Saints Row: Drive By."[10]

In June 2011, at E3, an exclusive mode was announced for Saints Row: The Third on Playstation 3 which would use the Playstation Move.

On the 9th of August, 2011, THQ issued a press release stating that they were closing their development team in Phoenix.[11] What was not known at that time was that this was the studio responsible for Saints Row: Money Shot.

On the 14nd of August, 2011, a user posted on the se7ensins forum that Saints Row: Money Shot had leaked, and posted images.[12] The compilation date of the leaked game is June 14, 2011.

On the 21st of August, 2011, zing.cz posted a gameplay video from the leaked game.[13]. This video has been posted to youtube several times, but was regularly taken down by requests from THQ, although no videos have been taken down since THQ went out of business.

On the 22nd of August, 2011, Kotaku reported that it had found an entry in the Australia Classification Board database for Saints Row: Money Shot.[14][15]

On the 31nd of October, 2011, worthplaying posted an interview with Danny Bilson, who stated that Money Shot had not been cancelled, and would be free on PSN.[2]

Connections Edit

While it has never been officially confirmed that Drive-by became Money Shot, all evidence points to this conclusion.

Drive-by Money Shot Began development for Xbox Live Leaked game for Xbox Live Was in development for PSN Announced to be free on PSN Unlocks rewards in SRTT Unlocks rewards in SRTT Announced to have been changed to a "completely original game mechanic" which doesn't replicate usual Saints Row gameplay Uses novel game mechanic which doesn't replicate usual Saints Row gameplay Cancelled in May 2011 Revealed in June 2011

Timeline Edit

Date Drive-by Money Shot 2010-06-15 Announced by Nintendo 2010-06-30 Began development on Xbox Live. 2010-06-30 Unlocks rewards in Saints Row: The Third. 2010-11-03 Design changed to "completely original game mechanic" 2011-05-03 Listed as cancelled 2011-06-14 Date of leaked build 2011-08-09 THQ Digital Phoenix closed 2011-08-14 Leaks for Xbox Live 2011-08-22 Found in ACB database 2011-10-31 Announced as free on PSN

Gameplay Edit

Before starting each mission, a list of objectives is shown, as well as a bullet selection screen.

The actual gameplay involves controlling the flight and speed of a bullet. At the start of each mission Cypher loads the chosen bullet into her sniper rifle and pressing RT fires the bullet.

In Anna Will Be Right Back and Biker Striker, Cypher is inside a Delivery Truck, while in Dex's New Digs she is in an apartment. In each tunnel mission, Cypher is at a shooting range desk.

Pressing RT accelerates the bullet, and pressing LT slows down the bullet, and time. At the top of the screen is an "Influence" bar, which decreases every time time is slowed down. The Influence bar recharges when accelerating the bullet, and there are pickups throughout the level which recharge the bar faster. With some bullets, Influence automatically recharges without accelerating.

At the end of each mission, a short sequence will show the aftermath of the bullet's journey, depending on what was hit during the flight.

Completing objectives increases the score earned, and completing objectives is cumulative and does not require reaching the end of the course in order to finish each objective.

Missions Edit

There are 12 missions in the game, although the 12th mission does not work in the leaked version. Each mission has a number of different challenges, so even though there's so few missions, most will be played several times in order to fully finish the game.

Bullets Edit

Bullets are automatically unlocked through game progression. Bullets can be slowed using LT and speed up using RT.

Beginner Intermediate Advanced Description Utr-xo1 Utr-xo2 Utrx-03 Ultor's original secret prototype. Well-rounded, lacking any obvious weaknesses or strengths. Relatively low scoring potential. Goon Wiseguy The Don Super responsive and stable, but with compromised turning ability. Privateer Corsair Galleon Slow turning response, high maximum rate of turn. Good scoring potential for those that can handle it. Grudge Scourge Vendetta Fixed-Speed Bullet. The Influence controls alter your maneuverability instead of speed. The Teaser The Shocker The Show Stopper Always continues in the direction its steered in. Slightly worse than average response. High scoring potential. Astaroth Beezlebuth Lucifer Exceptional speed, handling and response at the cost of stability. Excellent scoring potential. Tipsy Squiffy Crunky Heavy an challenging to steer. Its special characteristics cuase it to gradually drop towards the ground. Extreme scoring potential. Tardyon Luxon Tachyon Ultor's latest experimental technology. The influence controls alter the bullet's gravity instead of speed. Extremely fast.

Name Speed Turning Stability Multiplier Influence UTR-XO1 1 2 8 1 10 UTR-XO2 5 4 8 3 7 UTR-XO3 8 6 6 5 4 Goon 1 1 10 2 7 Wiseguy 4 3 10 4 6 The Don 8 3 10 7 6 Privateer 3 3 4 3 5 Corsair 6 5 4 4 4 Galleon 9 7 4 7 4 Grudge 3 4 7 3 5 Scourge 6 6 7 5 4 Vendetta 8 7 7 7 3 The Teaser 1 4 3 3 8 The Shocker 5 5 3 4 8 The Show Stopper 8 6 2 5 7 Asteroth 3 8 6 3 4 Beelzebuth 5 9 4 5 3 Lucifer 9 10 3 8 2 Tipsy 4 5 2 3 3 Squiffy 5 6 1 9 2 Crunky 8 8 1 10 1 Tardyon 7 1 4 5 2 Luxon 8 3 3 5 1 Tachyon 10 5 3 5 1

Statistics Edit

Near-misses

Total mission targets hits

Objects destroyed

Play time

Bullets fired

Highest multiplier

Best rating

Total score

Best global Rank

Ratings Edit

Shootin' Blanks (0-50000)

Rifleman (50000-100000)

Skirkmisher (100000-200000)

Marksman (200000-)

Sharpshooter (600000)

Top Shooter (2000000)

Trivia Edit

A beta version of the leaked xbox 360 game is available online, but can only be played on hacked consoles. [16]

Money Shot uses models from Saints Row: The Third , as can be seen in images of the leaked game.

, as can be seen in images of the leaked game. A picture of Smiling Jack's diner is visible on the right side of the corridor in the first level.

Cypher's computer is the same model used by the Reaper Drone.

During "Dex's New Digs", two people are hanging from a helicopter sword-fighting with Penetrators.

Steve Jaros, the Writing Lead for the Saints Row series, has been asked about Dex's fate in multiple interviews, and often mentions that Dex was intended to be killed in Money Shot , and has confirmed that Dex is not considered to be dead from a writing standpoint , and that he may re-introduce Dex at a later time. [18]

, and has confirmed that Dex is not considered to be dead from a writing standpoint , and that he may re-introduce Dex at a later time. Cypher's outfit can be purchased as a suit in Saints Row IV .

. In the "10th Anniversary: Saints Row Money Shot" livestream, Volition staff played an older build of Money Shot. [19] Volition's build is from 2011-06-06, whereas the Saints Row Wiki's leaked build is from 2011-06-14. Volition's build of Money Shot has an older version of the main logo. Volition's build is shows "undefined" for bullet names for several levels. Volition's build does not have a working achievement menu, the Saints Row Wiki's leaked build does. [20] Volition's build does not track statistics, the Saints Row Wiki's leaked build does. [21] In Volition's build, the "Unlock full game" option does nothing. In the Saints Row Wiki's leaked build, the "Unlock full game" option makes all bullets and levels become immediately available. Volition's build does not contain Inf_Tunnel_I.



Quotes Edit

Industrygamers: "I think of the reaction when my colleagues and I saw the Saints Row announcement for the 3DS was that we were a little bit surprised, [...]"

Danny Bilson: "Nintendo really wants to launch with a very balanced portfolio. They really don't want it to feel like a kiddie platform. They were very clear: they really wanted Saints Row on it. Now, we know how those go sometimes: sure, the first party wants it, but is it really going to work? The interesting thing about the game is we were already making it. We were already making it as our Xbox Live game and in 3D also. It's designed for 3D already. So the 3DS version is an incremental cost. It's not a big startup cost. Anything in a transmedia play has a column called marketing in it. It's also a marketing tool. So how does that game model for us? I believe it will do great, especially if Nintendo is going to go mature and really do a big mature campaign on it. It's a killer game. It's got all the weird humor of Saints Row, and also its existence is part of the marketing plan to sell Saints Row 3. Also, all these games have hooks where, if you play it, it unlocks things in Saints Row 3. If you play Saints Row 3, it will unlock things in the 3DS game or the Xbox Live game. I don't know if I was clear about that, but all of our extension properties all connect and unlock things in each other."

— Industrygamers interview with Danny Bilson, 2010-06-30[4]

Shacknews: "What about the Saint's Row [sic] "

Danny Bilson: "That one is changed. It's changed. It's going to be a different--we actually changed the design and are doing something more unique. This is just creative but we wound up feeling the game we were building was too much like a section of Saint's Row [sic] [sic] [sic] "

: ": " — Shacknews interview with Danny Bilson[7]

Worthplaying: "As a company, how does THQ evaluate if a game product is worth moving forward on? A year or two ago, Saints Row Drive-by for PSP was canceled. More recently, the Saints Row Money Shot project for XBLA was going to tie into Saints Row: The Third, but it was also shelved. How do you determine when to forge ahead?"

Danny Bilson: "It's similar to any other entertainment business. We have a group of executives — in core, particularly — who are all gamers who experienced product in the marketplace. You just know, just like any gamer who buys a game, you know what's good and what's not, ideally. In the case of Money Shot, it will be on PSN as a Sony offering, and I'm pretty sure it's free."

— Worthplaying interview with Danny Bilson[2]

Gallery Edit

Saints Row Money Shot - logo in leaked version

Saints Row Money Shot - alternate logo in earlier version

Leaked box art image

The name appears in a screenshot of the leaked game

Screenshot of leaked gameplay

Xbox 360 game icon

Menu screen

Saints Row Money Shot - Cypher firing sniper rifle

Statistics

How to Play

Settings

Controls

UTR-X01

UTR-X02

UTR-X03

Goon

Wiseguy

The Don

Privateer

Corsair

Galleon

Grudge

Scourge

Vendetta

The Teaser

The Shocker

The Show Stopper

Astaroth

Beelzebuth

Lucifer

Tipsy

Squiffy

Crunky

Tardyon

Luxon

Tachyon

"Inf Tunnel I" 1 of 37 Saints Row Money Shot - logo in leaked version Saints Row Money Shot - alternate logo in earlier version Leaked box art image The name appears in a screenshot of the leaked game Screenshot of leaked gameplay Xbox 360 game icon Menu screen Saints Row Money Shot - Cypher firing sniper rifle Statistics How to Play Settings Controls UTR-X01 UTR-X02 UTR-X03 Goon Wiseguy The Don Privateer Corsair Galleon Grudge Scourge Vendetta The Teaser The Shocker The Show Stopper Astaroth Beelzebuth Lucifer Tipsy Squiffy Crunky Tardyon Luxon Tachyon "Inf Tunnel I"



