The 2011 remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary took an unusual path to development. Saber Interactive, then an independent studio, offered to create the remaster for free. This bold move, and the subsequent events, highlight a remarkable journey from indie underdog to industry powerhouse.
Saber Interactive's Bold Gamble
A High-Stakes Bet on Exposure
In an interview with Game File's Stephen Totilo, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch revealed the audacious strategy behind their pitch to Microsoft. He proposed developing the Halo remake at no cost, simply stating, "Because it’s Halo." Karch's gamble stunned the Xbox executive, but he believed the potential exposure outweighed the financial risk. For a young, independent studio, working on such a massive franchise was invaluable for gaining industry recognition and attracting future opportunities. Karch's perspective was clear: the prestige of working on Halo would open doors far exceeding any immediate financial gain. He was willing to absorb the initial loss for long-term strategic advantage.
Despite initially proposing a $4 million bid at Microsoft's request, contractual clauses ultimately resulted in Saber receiving no royalties from the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary release on Xbox 360 in 2011.
From Zero to Millions: A Masterful Turnaround
The initial financial sacrifice proved to be a shrewd investment. Microsoft subsequently contracted Saber to work on Halo: The Master Chief Collection alongside Bungie and 343 Industries. This included porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One. However, a near-miss occurred when Microsoft delayed sending the contract for the port until just before the collection's release.
Karch leveraged this situation, refusing to sign unless Microsoft removed the royalty-killing clauses from the previous contract. Microsoft agreed, and Saber received a substantial payout—tens of millions of dollars—for their contribution to The Master Chief Collection. This windfall provided the crucial financial footing for Saber's future expansion. Karch's words to his partner Andrey Iones perfectly captured the moment: "We’ve watched other people make money on our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own."
Saber Interactive Today
The success of the Halo projects propelled Saber Interactive to significant growth. They expanded globally, opening studios in Spain, Sweden, and Belarus, and acquiring studios like Binary Motion and New World Interactive. The studio's portfolio expanded to include projects such as the Nintendo Switch port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and the development of World War Z.
Acquired by Embracer Group in 2020, Saber maintained operational autonomy. Further acquisitions and successful game development followed, including Evil Dead: The Game. However, a subsequent sale to Beacon Interactive (owned by Karch) saw Saber retain all its studios and intellectual properties. Despite this change, CCO Tim Willits reassured fans that ongoing projects would continue as planned. Saber Interactive's current projects include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (released September 2024), John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, and Jurassic Park: Survival. The company's journey exemplifies the potential rewards of calculated risk-taking and strategic vision in the video game industry.
