Saints Row: The Third rolls out Nov. 15

Those craving a new dose of the over-the-top open-world action of the Saints Row series can finally mark their calendars. THQ has announced that Saints Row: The Third will ship for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 15 in North America. The date puts its launch one week after that of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and one week before the all-important Thanksgiving Day week shopping season.

No ratings information is yet available for Saints Row: The Third. However, judging by GameSpot's brand-new preview of the game, its patently ridiculous gameplay will be packed with M-for-Mature-ready content, such as giant purple sex toys and a "sexual magnetism" slider in character creation. As always, the game will come packed with silly violence, including the introduction of a human cannon device called the "manapault."

Developed by Illinois-based Volition, Saints Row: The Third picks up with the player running the Third Street Saints. Once a small-town gang, the Saints have grown to control the organized crime within Stilwater and even have their own brand, with licensed sneakers, energy drinks, and bobbleheads. However, the Saints' success has drawn the attention of the globally powerful Syndicate, a criminal fraternity that insists on a cut of the action. Players will adopt the role of a member of the Saints who must relocate to the Syndicate's hometown of Steelport after a botched bank robbery forces them to flee Stilwater.

For more on Saints Row: The Third, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.