2004’s Saw introduced moviegoers to Jigsaw, a serial killer who constructs elaborate death traps from which his victims must try and escape. Ten movies later, the franchise is still going strong, and has branched out into books, interactive experiences, and video games. The latest game is Saw: Genesis, which winds the clock back further than any of the films.
Saw: Genesis is set in the aftermath of World War I, long before John “Jigsaw” Kramer started his psychopathic crusade to “rehabilitate” people. In the early 20th century, someone called the Judge is forcing people to reckon with death traps much as Jigsaw will do in the early 21st. As you can see in the trailer below, his victims include at least some World War I soldiers.
Players will have to team up in a three-vs-one asymmetrical experience to escape, which means that one person plays as the Judge and the other three as his victims. “Customize your approach with perks and traps, then seek to control the match from the shadows. Unlike other asymmetrical multiplayer games, the Judge is physically vulnerable and cannot overpower the Accused through sheer force alone,” reads the description on the game’s Steam page. “Coordinate with teammates to complete challenges, scavenge items, and collect keys before time runs out. Each match drops you into a procedurally generated map where routes shift, plans break, and every mistake gives the Judge a greater advantage.”
The trailer appears to be narrated by Jigsaw himself, who expresses his admiration for the Judge. “A hundred years have passed since the genesis of your legacy. They call you a monster, but I call you a prophet,” he says. The implication is that Jigsaw was inspired to create his own death traps by the Judge, which isn’t an angle any of the movies have explored. It remains to be seen whether this will be incorporated into the official canon of the series or remain unique to the video game.
Saw: Genesis is being developed by Bloober Team, a studio that specializes in horror games like Blair Witch, The Medium, Layers of Fear, and the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2. There’s no release date set for Saw: Genesis as of yet, but you can wishlist it or sign up for a Closed Alpha, where you’ll be able to test early builds.
As for the Saw movies, series creator James Wan has said he’ll be involved in any new projects going forward.
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