Saber Interactive has accomplished a great deal in recent years, yet the most headline‑grabbing story emerged when CEO Matthew Karch responded bluntly to rumors that a writer had been swapped out for ChatGPT. During our second interview with Saber’s chief creative officer, Tim Willits, at Gamescom, that claim was the first topic on our agenda.
"That was just Matt being sarcastic," Willis laughed. "The bottom line is we have never replaced a human with AI.
That would be insane. We don’t use generative AI for Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman or any of our other titles." He added that the studio is still testing the technology, because the industry has yet to discover where AI can add genuine value. "In our Rideshare Simulator we’re experimenting with an AI‑driven mode, but everything else – the main story, side quests, dialogue – was written by people." Willits believes a breakthrough moment is inevitable.
"Soon a developer will discover a clever, truly modern AI use case, and everyone will say, ‘That’s it!’ Until then, it’s like any new tool in history – people wonder what to do with it, then eventually it finds a place in everyday workflows." He clarified that Saber does not rely on generative AI for core production pipelines such as code, level design, or texture creation. Still, he sees personal advantages. "I’ve always wanted to be able to draw. If I can picture something in my head and have a quick way to get it onto the screen, AI could help.
It’s a useful aid for visualising concepts." Looking ahead, Willits predicts that by next year’s Gamescom we’ll see larger titles built around AI features, and he’s eager to watch how players react to the AI mode in Rideshare. "It’s an exciting experiment." In 2024 Saber split from Embracer in what Willits described as "a very smooth process." The company remains sizable, with roughly 3,500 staff spread across 15 studios in locations such as Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina and Australia. "Since we launched a studio in Australia, the sun never sets on Saber development," he noted.
Notably, North America no longer hosts any major development hubs, although the corporate headquarters stay in Florida and a publishing team operates out of the United States. "We have essentially no development in North America now," Willits said, echoing a broader industry trend where talent is migrating to regions with lower costs and abundant skill pools.
He stressed that geography is no longer a barrier to excellence. "You don’t need to be in California to be a brilliant programmer, artist or animator.
Some publishers shy away from unfamiliar territories, but we embrace them, find talented people, give them the tools they need, and create great games." Willits sees his role as keeping the operation humming. "I make sure teams have what they need, keep focus on the essentials, and prevent scope from spiralling out of control." He is critical of publishers that concentrate all resources on a single project. "Saber spreads its eggs across many baskets, allowing us to shift teams between games as priorities change." The studio balances marquee releases – upcoming titles like Stuntman: Hollywood, John Wick, Turok: Origins and Jurassic Park: Survival – with what Willits calls "bread‑and‑butter" work. This includes remastering the original Hitman trilogy, a pattern that follows similar updates for Tomb Raider, Crysis and Halo.
"Those projects are predictable, generate steady revenue, and let us fund riskier ventures." Smaller bets such as Docked, Bus Bound and the Rideshare experiment follow the same philosophy: clear budgets, known spend, and realistic revenue expectations. The flexible culture lets staff rotate across titles, preventing anyone from feeling locked onto a single project. Resources can be reallocated globally when a game needs a push. Willits also mentioned that Saber is exploring a Hollywood‑style external development model.
"We’re talking with a group of 18‑20 top‑tier developers in the US. They bring creative vision, we bring production muscle. Instead of a 300‑person team in California burning cash while concept art is produced, a small focused team can deliver the core ideas, and we can scale up as needed." The publishing landscape has split between tiny indie budgets and massive evergreen franchises, leaving a "lost middle" that many publishers ignore. Saber positions itself squarely in that middle, championing the AA segment.
Willits questioned the label, noting that a game like World War Z, with 32 million players, blurs the line between AA and AAA. He argued that budget, not player count, defines the category. He prefers a diversified slate over putting all eggs in one giant‑title basket.
"If you need a home run every quarter, you’ll eventually fail. With modest releases you can place multiple bets, spread resources, and use a slate‑financing model similar to movies – a few hits cover the occasional miss." Keeping budgets in check is essential. "You must stay within scope and focus on what truly matters," Willits warned.
He illustrated the point with a personal anecdote: "Sometimes I play a game and I can literally see money being wasted – dollars falling out of the monitor. For example, Space Marine 2 cost about a third of what a recent big‑budget North American title spent, yet it sold 11 million more copies.
You don’t need $150 million to make a billion‑dollar franchise." He compared development costs: a large North American studio might burn $2 million a month, meaning a five‑year project could cost $120 million in salaries alone, not counting marketing. By contrast, SnowRunner, which generated hundreds of millions in revenue, cost Saber only $6 million – roughly three months of a California studio’s payroll. On intellectual property, Saber is eager to work with recognizable brands. The studio has collaborated with Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate and Disney, producing titles like World War Z, which Willits believes reached a larger audience than the film itself.
When selecting an IP, the first criterion is genuine love for the property, followed by deep research into fan expectations. "Making Hellraiser a roguelike would be a disaster," he said, emphasizing the importance of fan‑centric design and extensive A/B testing.
Not every pitch succeeds. Willits recounted a missed opportunity where a major IP holder wanted a game set in an era that fans rejected; Saber pushed back, and the project was shelved. At Summer Game Fest, Saber announced a partnership with Universal on Stuntman: Hollywood, a title that draws inspiration from Back to the Future, Fast & Furious and Jurassic World. Willits highlighted that familiar IP offers nostalgia for veteran gamers while providing an entry point for casual players.
The upcoming John Wick game materialised because Saber previously delivered Evil Dead: The Game for Lionsgate, earning the studio’s trust. "Being a good partner opens doors.
Every major studio wants video games because that’s where the audience lives," he explained. Saber also handles legacy game IPs. Willits praised the collaboration with IO Interactive on the Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered, noting that both studios contribute ideas to improve the experience without alienating long‑time fans. Similar work was done on Tomb Raider remasters, where subtle enhancements were added based on fan feedback.
Beyond licensed titles, Saber nurtures its own properties. MudRunner began as a single developer’s concept and grew into SnowRunner, spawning expansions like Expeditions and RoadCraft and even influencing internal technology (Road Kings).
Willits stressed that the studio encourages employees to prototype and pursue passion projects, regardless of size. Overall, Willits believes the industry needs greater discipline. "Developers must be smart, focus on what matters, and recognise that great games can be built with small, well‑managed teams.
Avoid siloed thinking – let people contribute across multiple projects. That flexibility is the key to sustainable success."