According to Destructoid the newest Saints Row game will not feature any mutliplayer component, rather the developers will be focusing all their efforts on co-op.
THQ has reported that the decision was made due to feedback from gamers demanding for co-op inclusion. With that said, senior product Greg Donovan told Game Informer when speaking of the co-op "We want this cohesive experience where players walk away going 'I can't believe I'm seeing this. I can't believe I'm f*cking doing this.'"
Now we can only wonder if Saints Row's biggest competitor, Grand Theft Auto, will follow a similar pattern and focus on creating a co-op experience or stay the course as seen in previous games.