Saber Interactive has accomplished a great deal in recent years, yet the most headline‑grabbing story has been CEO Matthew Karch’s blunt reply to 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 we asked was about that claim. "That was just Matt being sarcastic," Willits laughed.
"The bottom line is we have never replaced a human writer with AI. That would be insane. We don’t use generative AI on titles like Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman or any of our other projects." He added that the team is still experimenting with the technology, because the industry has yet to discover where AI can add genuine value. "In our Rideshare Simulator we have an AI‑mode experiment, but everything else – the story beats, the side quests – were all crafted by people." Willits believes a breakthrough is on the horizon.
"Soon a developer will come up with a clever, obvious use case for true AI integration and everyone will say, ‘That’s it.’ Until then it’s like every new tool in history – people wonder what to do with it, how it works, and eventually it finds a place in everyday production." He clarified that Saber does not rely on generative AI for core pipeline work such as coding, level design, or texture creation. Still, he sees personal benefits. "I’ve always wanted to be able to draw.
If I have an idea in my head and can’t get it onto paper, AI could help translate that vision. That’s a tool I could see using." Looking ahead, Willits expects the conversation around AI to grow. "By next year’s Gamescom we’ll probably have bigger titles that actually showcase AI, and I’m curious to see how our Rideshare experiment is received. It’s a great test case." Saber’s split from Embracer in 2024 was, by Willits’s account, "very easy".
The company now employs roughly 3,500 staff across fifteen studios in locations such as Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina and Australia. "Since we opened a studio in Australia, the sun never sets on Saber development," he said. Notably, North America is absent from that list. "We no longer have any real development in North America," Willits explained, even though the corporate headquarters remain in Florida and a publishing team is still based in the United States.
This mirrors a broader industry shift. As ASGC’s Amir Satvat observed, talent is moving from a North‑American‑centric model to a globally distributed one. Saber has embraced that change. "We’re not scared of any region.
Some publishers shy away from markets they don’t understand, but we say, ‘Let’s go, find talented people, give them what they need, and make great games.’ You don’t need to be in California to be a brilliant programmer, artist or animator." Willits describes his role as keeping the whole operation running smoothly. "My job is to make sure teams have what they need, stay focused on the essentials, and keep scope in check." He is also vocal about the pitfalls of traditional publishing structures. "Many publishers put all their eggs in one basket with siloed teams working on a single project.
Saber spreads the eggs across many baskets and can shift resources between projects as required." The studio balances marquee projects – upcoming titles like Stuntman: Hollywood, John Wick, Turok: Origins and Jurassic Park: Survival – with what Willits calls the "bread‑and‑butter" work of remastering classic franchises. He cites the Hitman Trilogy Remaster, which follows similar updates to Tomb Raider, Crysis and Halo, as reliable, revenue‑generating work. "That’s predictable, steady income," he notes.
Smaller, lower‑risk bets also have a place. "Docked, Bus Bound and Rideshare are projects where we know the budget and can forecast returns. Our culture lets people hop between titles, so no one feels locked onto a single game, and we can pull talent from anywhere when a project needs a boost." Willits revealed that Saber is exploring a movie‑style external development model. "We’re talking to a group of 18‑20 top‑tier developers in the US who could bring creativity and vision, while we provide the manpower.
Instead of a 300‑person team in California burning cash while concept art is produced, a small focused group can handle the critical work and we bring in additional staff as needed." The publishing landscape has split into two extremes: tiny indie budgets or massive evergreen franchises, leaving a "lost middle" that few serve. Saber positions itself firmly in that middle, championing the AA tier. "Some call World War Z AA, but with 32 million players it feels more like a AAA title.
The definition really comes down to budget." Willits argues that diversifying across several mid‑scale games is healthier than banking on a single blockbuster. "If one person has to hit a home run every time, you’re set up to fail. With modest releases you can place more bets, spread resources and money, much like slate financing in the film industry. A developer might partner with private equity or a publisher to fund four or five games; three hit, one misses, and everyone wins." Key to that approach is keeping individual game budgets under control.
"You must keep scope realistic and focus on what truly matters," he stresses. He illustrated the point with a personal anecdote: "Sometimes I play a game and I can see the wasted money – dollars literally falling out of the monitor. The development cost for Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 was about a third of a major title that launched a few months ago from a big North‑American studio, yet it sold 11 million more copies. You don’t need $150 million to make a billion‑dollar hit." Saber’s own development cycles are longer but not bloated.
"Big North‑American studios burn over $2 million a month. SnowRunner, which earned hundreds of millions, cost us $6 million – essentially three months of a California‑style payroll. If a large studio takes five years, that’s $120 million in salaries alone, plus marketing and publishing, easily reaching $150 million, while the net return per game might be only $25 million after deductions. The math just doesn’t work." Regarding intellectual property, Willits says Saber is comfortable working with a wide range of owners.
"We’ve partnered with Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate and Disney. World War Z, based on the 2006 novel and 2013 film, was a huge success – I think more people played the game than saw the movie." When selecting a franchise, the first criterion is passion for the IP.
"You have to love the property and understand what fans want. Turning Hellraiser into a roguelike would be a disaster. Identifying fan desires through A/B testing and focus groups is a huge part of the job." Not every pitch pans out.
Willits recounted a case where a major IP holder wanted a game set in a different era than fans expected. Saber pushed back, explaining the mismatch, and the project was shelved. At Summer Game Fest, Saber announced a collaboration with Universal on Stuntman: Hollywood, a title that draws inspiration from Back to the Future, Fast & Furious and Jurassic World.
Willits sees the value of such recognizable IPs as twofold: they evoke nostalgia for older players and provide an entry point for newcomers who may not be hardcore gamers. The upcoming John Wick game originated from a prior partnership with Lionsgate on Evil Dead: The Game. "They felt we respected their property, so when they needed a team for John Wick they came to us.
Being a good partner opens doors – every major studio wants video games because that’s where the audience lives." Saber also handles non‑film IPs. Willits praised the collaboration with IO Interactive on the Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered, noting that both sides bring ideas to improve the original experience without alienating fans. Similar work was done on Tomb Raider remasters, where subtle enhancements were added based on what works for the game and what fans desire.
Beyond licensed properties, Saber nurtures its own creations. MudRunner began as a single employee’s concept and grew into SnowRunner, which then spun off into Expeditions, RoadCraft and even technology used in Road Kings.
Willits emphasizes that the studio’s culture encourages prototyping: "If someone has a cool idea, we want to hear it. We can build a great game with a dozen people if the concept is strong." Overall, Willits stresses discipline and smart resource management.
"Developers need to focus on what truly matters. You can make an excellent game with a small team if you’re strategic about where you build.
Build a culture where people can contribute to multiple titles; don’t let silos form. That’s the only way to succeed in today’s distributed development world."