Saber Interactive has made a series of notable strides in recent years, but the most headline‑grabbing moment came when CEO Matthew Karch bluntly dismissed rumors that a writer had been swapped out for ChatGPT. When we met Tim Willits, the studio’s chief creative officer, at Gamescom for the second of two sit‑downs, the first question on our agenda was exactly that claim.
"That was just Matt being sarcastic," Willits laughed. "The bottom line is we have never replaced a person with AI. That would be insane. None of the narrative work on Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman or any of our other titles has been generated by a machine." He did, however, acknowledge that Saber is tinkering with generative tools in a controlled environment.
"In our experimental Rideshare Simulator we have an AI‑mode where we’re testing how the technology might be useful. All of the main story beats, side quests and dialogue were still written by human writers. We’re just trying to map out where AI could add value without compromising the creative core." Willits believes that, eventually, a breakthrough use‑case will emerge that makes the industry sit up and take notice.
"When someone finally cracks a truly clever, practical integration of modern AI, everyone will say, ‘That’s it.’ Until then, it’s like any new technology—people wonder what to do with it, how it will work, and eventually it finds its niche in everyday production." He clarified that Saber does not currently employ generative AI for code, level geometry, or texture creation. Still, he sees personal benefits. "I’ve always wished I could draw, because I think it would make me a better designer.
If I have a vision in my head and a tool can help me get that onto the screen, that’s a real advantage." Looking ahead, Willits expects to see more AI‑focused projects at future events. "By next year’s Gamescom we’ll probably have a larger title that leans into AI.
I’m curious to see how our Rideshare experiment is received and how the technology evolves for us. It’s an exciting sandbox." In 2024 Saber split from Embracer in what Willits described as a "very easy" process. The studio now employs roughly 3,500 people across 15 locations, including Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina and Australia.
"Since we launched a studio in Australia, the sun no longer sets on Saber development," he quipped. Notably, North America no longer hosts any core development teams, although the corporate headquarters remain in Florida and a publishing office stays in the United States. "We’ve essentially moved our production footprint away from North America," Willits said, echoing a broader industry trend.
Amir Satvat of ASGC summed it up as a shift of headcount from the U.S. to any other viable region. Willits emphasized that geography is no longer a barrier to talent. "We’re not scared of any territory.
Some publishers hesitate to work where they don’t understand the market, but we say, ‘Let’s go, find the talent, give them the tools, and make something great.’ You don’t need to be in California to be an outstanding programmer, artist or animator." As the studio’s operational linchpin, Willits’ role is to ensure teams have the resources they need, keep projects focused, and prevent scope creep. He is outspoken about the pitfalls of “single‑project silos” that many traditional publishers maintain. "Saber spreads its eggs across many baskets, allowing us to shift resources between games as priorities change." The company balances blockbuster‑scale releases—upcoming titles such as Stuntman: Hollywood, John Wick, Turok: Origins and Jurassic Park: Survival—with what Willits calls its "bread‑and‑butter" work. This includes remastering classic franchises like the original Hitman trilogy, following similar efforts on Tomb Raider, Crysis and Halo.
"Those projects are predictable, they generate steady revenue, and they keep the studio financially healthy," he explained. Smaller, experimental bets also have a place. Titles like Docked, Bus Bound and the Rideshare experiment are low‑risk ventures with clear budgets and revenue expectations.
The flexible culture lets developers hop between projects, preventing anyone from feeling locked into a single title. "When a game needs extra attention, we can pull talent from around the globe instantly." Willits revealed that Saber is exploring a Hollywood‑style external development model. "We’re in talks with a tight‑knit group of 18‑20 top‑tier developers in the U.S. They bring vision and creativity; we bring manpower.
Instead of a massive California team burning cash on concept art, a small, focused crew can deliver the essentials, and we scale up as needed." The publishing landscape has polarized into two extremes: ultra‑low‑budget indie support or massive evergreen franchises, leaving a “lost middle” that many studios ignore. Saber positions itself squarely in that middle, championing the AA segment. "We’re strong advocates of AA, though the definition is fuzzy.
World War Z, for example, had 32 million players—does that still count as AA? Probably it’s more about budget than sales." Willits argues that diversifying across several mid‑tier projects is safer than banking on a single blockbuster.
"If you need a home run every year, you’ll eventually fail. With modest releases you can place multiple bets, spread resources, and use a slate‑financing approach similar to movies—invest in four or five games, expect three hits, one miss, and the studio stays healthy." The key, he stresses, is keeping individual game budgets in check. "You must stay within scope and focus on what truly matters." He illustrated the point with a personal anecdote: "Sometimes I play a game—won’t name it—and I can literally see money being wasted, dollars falling off the monitor. The development cost for Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 was about a third of a recent major North‑American release, yet it sold 11 million more copies.
You don’t need a $150 million budget to make a billion‑dollar franchise." Saber’s leaner approach yields dramatic cost differences. A large North‑American studio might burn $2 million a month; Saber’s SnowRunner, which generated hundreds of millions, cost roughly $6 million total—equivalent to three months of a big studio’s payroll. "If a big studio takes five years, that’s $120 million just in salaries, plus marketing, easily hitting $150 million, while the net return per game can be a fraction of that.
The math doesn’t add up." On intellectual property, Willits says Saber is deliberately agnostic, working with major holders such as Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate and Disney. World War Z, based loosely on the 2006 novel and 2013 film, became a standout success—"I think more people played the game than saw the movie." Choosing an IP begins with genuine affection for the property and a deep understanding of fan expectations. "If we turned Hellraiser into a roguelike, fans would hate it.
Identifying what the audience wants is a huge part of the job; we use A/B testing and focus groups to validate." Not every partnership works out. Willits recounted a missed opportunity where a large IP owner insisted on setting a game in an era that didn’t resonate with fans; Saber pushed back, the collaboration stalled, and the project was shelved.
At Summer Game Fest, Saber announced its collaboration with Universal on Stuntman: Hollywood, a title that draws inspiration from Back to the Future, Fast & Furious and Jurassic World. The nostalgia of a classic IP attracts older gamers while also providing an entry point for newcomers who may not be hardcore players.
The upcoming John Wick game came about because Saber had previously earned Lionsgate’s trust on Evil Dead: The Game. "They saw that we respected their property, so when they needed a partner for John Wick, they reached out. Being a reliable partner opens doors; every major studio wants video‑game extensions of their franchises because that’s where the audience lives." Beyond movies, Saber also handles game‑origin IP.
Willits praised the partnership with IO Interactive on the Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered, noting that both sides contribute ideas to improve the original while preserving its essence. Similar collaborative tweaks were made on Tomb Raider remasters, always guided by fan expectations. Internally, Saber nurtures original concepts.
MudRunner began as a single developer’s idea and grew into SnowRunner, which spawned expansions like Expeditions, RoadCraft and the Road Kings tech suite. Willits highlighted that even a 12‑person team can produce a hit if the concept is solid.
The studio’s culture encourages staff to pitch and develop “cool stuff.” "Making video games is the best job in the world; if someone has an exciting idea, we want to hear it," he said. Finally, Willits called for greater discipline across the industry. "Developers need to be smart, focus on what matters, and recognize that a great game can be built with a small, focused team.
Avoid siloed thinking—people should be able to contribute across multiple titles. That flexibility is essential for long‑term success."