Despite it being demonized as “torture porn” when the first movie landed back in 2004, Saw has become one of the most long-lived horror franchises, and is still releasing new installments to this day. As of right now, there are nine direct sequels; Saw 3 is the highest-grossing at over $164 million, but the most recent, 2023’s Saw X, became the most critically well-regarded. Despite another sequel being canceled over creative differences, the franchise still shows no signs of stopping. Last year, Twisted Pictures sold its stake in the box-office juggernaut to Blumhouse Productions, and in October, it was announced that series co-creator James Wan would return to control the next movie’s creative direction.
Aside from becoming a horror franchise that can stand alongside classic series like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween, the Saw films have had a huge multimedia presence. There are Billy the Puppet dolls and plushies, a Saw II prequel comic book, a shocking number of theme park attractions, and, of course, multiple video games. The original two games, Saw and Saw II: Flesh and Blood, were developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era by Konami. Now, 16 years after the release of the last title, the Saw franchise is returning to gaming, but this time with a massive twist that completely recontextualizes the series' long timeline.
