Halo Remake Developed for Free Exposure: Success Story

The 2011 remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary marked a pivotal moment for the then-independent studio Saber Interactive, which took on the project for free. This article delves into how this bold move unfolded and propelled the studio from obscurity to prominence within the gaming industry.

Saber Interactive's Bold Move to Remake Halo for Free

In a revealing interview with journalist Stephen Totilo for Game File, Saber Interactive's CEO and co-founder, Matthew Karch, shared the studio's audacious pitch to Microsoft. Karch proposed remastering the iconic first Halo game without any financial compensation, stating simply, "Because it’s Halo." This decision left the attending Xbox executive astonished but convinced Karch it was a strategic move for Saber, then a young startup. He explained, "It’s the biggest franchise in the world at the time. I said: ‘It’s like putting a Harvard diploma on your wall. Everyone in the world is going to want to work with me after they see that I’ve worked on this last Halo game, and it is going to open up doors. So I’ll suck it up and I’ll do it at a loss.'"

Despite proposing a low bid of $4 million at Microsoft's request, the contract's clauses ensured Saber received no royalties from the project. Nevertheless, the exposure from working on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, released on the Xbox 360 in 2011, was invaluable.

Transitioning from Dependency to Independence

Although the initial project resulted in a financial loss, it paved the way for Saber to collaborate with Microsoft again on Halo: The Master Chief Collection alongside Bungie and 343 Industries. When tasked with porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One, Karch refused to sign the contract until Microsoft removed the royalty-killing clauses from the previous deal. This negotiation resulted in a lucrative contract that paid Saber tens of millions of dollars, a critical boost that allowed the studio to expand and pursue larger projects independently.

Karch reflected on this turning point, saying, "We’ve watched other people make money on our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own."

Saber Interactive's Growth and Evolution

Following their successful contract with Microsoft, Saber Interactive expanded globally, establishing new studios in Spain, Sweden, and Belarus, and acquiring studios like Binary Motion and New World Interactive. Their portfolio grew to include collaborations like the Nintendo Switch port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with CD Projekt Red and the development of World War Z.

In February 2020, Saber Interactive was acquired by the Embracer Group, becoming a subsidiary yet retaining its autonomy. Under Embracer, Saber continued to grow, developing titles like Evil Dead: The Game. However, due to financial constraints, Embracer sold Saber to Beacon Interactive, a company owned by Karch, in a deal that allowed Saber to retain its studios and IPs.

Despite the change in ownership, CCO Tim Willits assured fans on X (formerly Twitter) that the studio's projects would continue as planned. Saber Interactive is currently working on several titles, including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (released in September 2024), John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, and Jurassic Park: Survival.