Saber Interactive has been on a rapid ascent over the past few years, yet the most headline‑grabbing moment recently came when CEO Matthew Karch responded bluntly 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 our two sit‑downs, that story was the first thing we asked him about. "That was just Matt being sarcastic," Willits laughed. "The bottom line is we’ve never replaced a person with AI.
That would be insane. We don’t use generative AI for Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman or any of our other titles. "We are, however, experimenting with it because we’re still figuring out where the technology can actually add value, where players will appreciate it, and what workflows it can improve.
In our experimental project Rideshare Simulator we have an ‘AI mode’ that lets us test the limits. Everything else – the main story, side quests, dialogue – was written by humans.
He believes that, eventually, a developer will discover a truly clever application for modern AI that will make the rest of the industry say, “That’s it.” Until that breakthrough arrives, AI will follow the same pattern as every new technology in history: early scepticism, questions about practical use, and then gradual integration into everyday production. Willits clarified that Saber does not currently rely on generative AI for core pipeline tasks such as coding, level design, or texture creation. Still, he sees personal benefits. “I’ve always wanted to be able to draw,” he admitted.
“If I have a vision in my head, having a tool that can help me get that idea onto the screen would be a huge advantage.” He expects that by next year’s Gamescom we’ll see larger projects that put AI more front‑and‑center, and he’s eager to watch how players react to those experiments. The company’s recent split from Embracer in 2024 was, by Will Willits’s account, "very easy." Saber remains a sizeable operation, employing roughly 3,500 people across fifteen studios in locations that include Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina and Australia.
"Now that we’ve launched a studio in Australia, the sun never sets on Saber development," he quipped. Notably, North America no longer appears on that map. "We have no real development in North America any more," Willits said, even though the corporate headquarters stay in Florida and a publishing team is still based in the United States.
This mirrors a broader industry trend that Amir Satvat of ASGC described as a shift of headcount from North America to virtually anywhere else. Saber has embraced the 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 the tools they need, and make something great.’ You don’t have to be in California to be an outstanding programmer, artist or animator." Willits sees his role as keeping the machine well‑oiled.
"My job is to make sure the teams have what they need, stay focused on the priorities, and keep scope under control," he explained. He also warned against the old‑fashioned publisher model that puts all its eggs in a single basket, with siloed teams working on one project at a time. Saber, by contrast, spreads its eggs across many baskets and can shuffle resources between projects whenever the situation calls for it.
The studio balances blockbuster‑type releases – upcoming titles such as Stuntman: Hollywood, a John Wick game, Turok: Origins and Jurassic Park: Survival – with what Willits calls its "bread‑and‑butter" work. That includes the remaster of the original Hitman trilogy, a follow‑up to previous Tomb Raider, Crysis and Halo remasters, and other predictable, revenue‑generating projects.
"Those are steady, consistent jobs that keep the cash flow healthy," he noted. At the same time, Saber makes smaller bets like Docked, Bus Bound and the experimental Rideshare title. These projects have clearly defined budgets and revenue expectations, allowing the studio to allocate resources flexibly. "Our culture lets people hop between games, so no one feels locked onto a single title.
When a game needs extra manpower, we can pull talent from around the world," Willits said. The studio is also exploring a Hollywood‑style external development model. He described talks with a group of 18‑20 top‑tier developers in the United States who could provide creative vision while Saber supplies the production muscle.
"Instead of having a huge team in California burning cash while waiting on concept art, we can keep a lean core and bring in specialists as needed," he explained. In today’s publishing landscape, many companies are either backing tiny indie projects or pouring everything into massive evergreen franchises, leaving a "lost middle" of AA‑scale games underserved. Saber positions itself squarely in that middle. "We’re big believers in AA," Willits said, though he questioned the label’s exact definition.
He cited World War Z, which attracted 32 million players, and wondered whether a title with that reach is truly AA or something larger. For Willits, the AA strategy is about spreading risk rather than banking on a single home‑run title. He likened the approach to the "slate financing" model used in film, where a studio backs several projects at once, expecting a few hits, a few break‑even titles and a few flops. "If you keep each game’s budget in check and stay focused on what matters, the math works out," he said.
Willits illustrated the point with a personal anecdote: "Sometimes I play a game and I can literally see the money being wasted. 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 hit." He highlighted the cost disparity between large North American studios, which can burn $2 million or more per month, and Saber’s more modest spend. "SnowRunner, which earned hundreds of millions, cost us roughly $6 million – essentially three months of a California‑style development cycle. If a big studio takes five years, that’s $120 million in salaries alone, not counting marketing. The math rarely adds up unless you sell an enormous volume." When it comes to intellectual property, Saber has become adept at working with recognizable brands.
The studio has partnered with Universal, Paramount, Lionsgate and Disney, delivering games like World War Z, which Willits believes attracted more players than the film itself. He stressed that genuine enthusiasm for the IP is essential. "If we love the property and understand what fans want, we can avoid missteps – like turning Hellraiser into a roguelike, which would be disastrous." Not every opportunity 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, and the project was shelved.
Successful collaborations, on the other hand, often stem from trust built on prior work. The John Wick game came about because Lionsgate appreciated Saber’s handling of Evil Dead: The Game and felt the studio respected their property.
Beyond movie licenses, Saber also nurtures its own IP. MudRunner began as a single developer’s concept and grew into SnowRunner, spawning expansions like Expeditions and RoadCraft, as well as proprietary technology used in other titles. Willits emphasized that the studio encourages employees to pitch and prototype ideas, no matter the scale. "If twelve people have a great concept, we’ll give it a shot.
That flexibility is part of our DNA." Overall, Willits sees discipline as the industry’s missing ingredient. "Developers need to be smart, focus on what truly matters, and realize you can create a great experience with a small, focused team.
Build a culture where people can contribute to multiple projects, avoid siloed thinking, and you’ll stay competitive in a rapidly changing market."