Saber Interactive has accomplished a great deal over the past few years, yet the most headline‑grabbing story recently involved CEO Matthew Karch’s blunt reaction 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 interviews, the first question we asked was about that controversy. "That was just Matt being sarcastic," Willits laughed. "The bottom line is we have never replaced a person 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 company is still experimenting with the technology because its future role in game development is unclear. "In our Rideshare Simulator we have an ‘AI mode’ where we’re testing what works and what doesn’t.
The narrative, side‑quests, and everything else were still written by humans. We’re just trying to learn where AI can add value without compromising quality." Willits believes that, eventually, a developer will discover a truly brilliant use case for modern AI, and the industry will rally around it, much as it has with past technological breakthroughs. "When a new tool first appears, people ask, ‘What can we do with this?
How does it fit into our workflow?’ Over time we figure out the everyday applications and it becomes part of the norm." While Saber does not currently rely on generative AI for core production pipelines—coding, environment creation, texture generation, or level design—Willits sees personal benefits. He confessed that he has always wished he could draw, thinking that being able to sketch would make him a better designer. "If I have a vision in my head and need a quick way to get it onto the screen, AI‑assisted drawing could be a huge help." Looking ahead, he expects to see more substantial AI‑driven projects at the next Gamescom.
"We’ll probably have larger games that showcase AI integration, and I’m eager to see how our players react to the Rideshare experiment. It’s an exciting research playground." Saber Interactive officially separated from Embracer in 2024, a transition Willits described as "very easy." The studio remains sizable, with roughly 3,500 employees spread across fifteen locations, including studios in Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina, and Australia. "Now that we have a studio in Australia, the sun never really sets on Saber development," he noted. Notably absent from that list is North America.
Willits confirmed that Saber no longer maintains a major development hub on the continent, although the corporate headquarters stay in Florida and a publishing team remains U.S.‑based. This mirrors a broader industry shift, as Amir Satvat of ASGC observed, with talent moving from North America to a more global talent pool. Saber embraces this dispersion. "We’re not scared of any region.
Some publishers hesitate to work in unfamiliar territories, but we say, ‘Let’s go. Find the talent, give them the tools, and create great games.’ You don’t need to be in California to be a brilliant programmer, artist, or animator." Willits sees his role as keeping the operation running smoothly.
"I make sure teams have what they need, keep the focus on key priorities, and prevent scope from exploding." He is also vocal about the pitfalls of publishers that concentrate all resources on a single project. "Saber spreads its eggs across many baskets, allowing us to shift teams between projects as needed." The studio balances blockbuster titles—upcoming releases such as Stuntman: Hollywood, John Wick, Turok: Origins, and Jurassic Park: Survival—with what Willits calls the "bread‑and‑butter" work. This includes remastering classic franchises like the original Hitman trilogy, following similar projects for Tomb Raider, Crysis, and Halo. "Those are predictable, steady revenue streams that keep the company healthy," he explained.
Smaller bets also have a place. Projects like Docked, Bus Bound, and the Rideshare experiment are modest in scope, allowing Saber to forecast costs and returns accurately. The studio’s flexible culture lets staff move between games, preventing anyone from feeling locked onto a single title. "If a game needs extra hands, we can pull talent from anywhere in the world." Willits disclosed that Saber is exploring a Hollywood‑style external development model.
The idea is to partner with a tight‑knit group of 18‑20 top‑tier developers in the United States who bring creative vision, while Saber supplies the manpower and infrastructure. This approach could avoid the inefficiency of large, idle teams in expensive locations, focusing resources on the most critical creative work. The publishing landscape has become polarized: either tiny indie budgets or massive evergreen franchises dominate, leaving a "lost middle" of mid‑scale projects. Saber positions itself squarely in that middle, championing the AA tier.
Willits questioned the label, noting that a game like World War Z attracted 32 million players, blurring the line between AA and AAA. He argued that budget, rather than player count, defines the category.
He prefers a diversified portfolio over betting everything on a few megahits. "If you need a home run every single game, you’ll eventually fail. With modest releases you can place multiple bets, spread risk, and apply a slate‑financing model similar to the film industry. Private equity or publishers can fund four or five games; a few become hits, one may flop, and the overall return remains positive." Key to that strategy is disciplined budgeting.
"You must keep each project in scope and focus on what truly matters," Willits warned. He illustrated his point with a personal anecdote: "Sometimes I play a game and I can literally see money being wasted—dollars falling out of the monitor. The development cost for Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 was about a third of a recent big‑budget North American title, yet it sold 11 million more copies.
You don’t need a $150 million budget to make a billion‑dollar franchise." He compared the cost structures of large North American studios, which can burn over $2 million per month, to Saber’s leaner model. "SnowRunner generated hundreds of millions, but it cost us roughly $6 million to develop—about three months of a typical California studio’s payroll.
If a big studio spends five years on a game, that’s $120 million in salaries alone, not counting marketing and publishing fees, which can push the total to $150 million. The math rarely works out unless you sell an enormous volume." On intellectual property, Willits emphasized Saber’s willingness to work with recognizable brands. "We’re agnostic about IP owners—we’ve partnered with Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate, Disney, and many others.
World War Z, based loosely on the novel and Brad Pitt film, was a huge draw; I think more people played the game than saw the movie." Choosing the right franchise, he said, starts with genuine love for the property and a deep understanding of fan expectations. "If we turned Hellraiser into a roguelike, fans would be furious. We spend a lot of time on A/B testing and focus groups to gauge what the audience truly wants." Not every pitch succeeds. Willits recounted an instance where a major IP holder wanted a game set in a different era than fans desired.
Saber pushed back, and the project was shelved. The lesson: respecting fan sentiment is essential. At Summer Game Fest, Saber announced a collaboration with Universal on Stuntman: Hollywood, a title that blends influences from Back to the Future, Fast & Furious, and Jurassic World. Willits noted that nostalgic IPs appeal both to veteran gamers and to newcomers who may not be hardcore players, expanding the market.
The upcoming John Wick game emerged from a prior partnership with Lionsgate on Evil Dead: The Game. "They saw that we treated their property with respect, 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, explaining that both studios exchange ideas to improve the original games without alienating long‑time fans. Similar work was done on Tomb Raider remasters, where subtle enhancements were added based on what works for the community.
Beyond licensed work, Saber nurtures its own creations. The driving title MudRunner began as a single developer’s concept and grew into SnowRunner, which spawned expansions like Expeditions, RoadCraft, and the proprietary Road Kings technology.
Willits highlighted that Saber supports small prototypes: "If a great idea comes from a team of twelve, we can develop it. MudRunner proved that a modest project can become a massive success." The overarching theme is flexibility.
"We let people work on the cool stuff they’re passionate about. Making video games is the best job in the world, so when someone has an exciting idea, we listen." Willits also called for greater discipline across the industry.
"Developers need to be smart, focus on what matters, and understand that great games can be built with small, efficient teams. Build a culture where people can contribute to multiple titles, avoid siloed thinking, and stay adaptable. That’s the formula for sustainable success."