"Halo: Combat Evolved Remake Developed for Free Exposure, Succeeds"

The 2011 remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was a significant milestone for then-independent studio Saber Interactive, who offered to undertake the project for free. Dive into the story to learn how this strategic move propelled a small indie team into the spotlight of a major gaming franchise.

Saber Interactive Offered To Do Halo For Free

A Huge Opportunity For An Independent Studio

In a revealing interview with journalist Stephen Totilo for Game File, Saber Interactive's CEO and co-founder Matthew Karch shared the story of their pitch to Microsoft. Karch boldly stated that his studio would remaster the iconic first Halo game for free, simply saying, "Because it’s Halo."

The Xbox executive present was taken aback by the offer, but Karch saw it as a golden opportunity. At that time, Saber was a burgeoning indie studio, and working on such a renowned franchise would catapult them into the industry's limelight. "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.'"

This audacious move paid off as Saber secured the project, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was successfully launched on the Xbox 360 in 2011. Although Karch initially proposed a $4 million bid at Microsoft's request, contractual clauses ensured that Saber received no royalties from the remake.

From Relying On Publishers To Becoming One Themselves

Despite the financial loss from the 2011 project, Saber's fortunes changed when Microsoft enlisted them for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, collaborating with other developers like Bungie and 343 Industries. As the remaster experts, Saber was also responsible for porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One. However, Microsoft overlooked sending a contract for the port until just before the collection's release.

Karch stood firm, refusing to sign until Microsoft removed the detrimental royalty clauses from the previous agreement. Microsoft complied, and Saber was generously compensated for their work on The Master Chief Collection, receiving tens of millions of dollars.

This substantial payment was the turning point Saber needed. As Karch recounted to partner and COO Andrey Iones, "We’ve watched other people make money on our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own."

Saber Interactive Now

Post their successful stint with Microsoft on Halo, Saber expanded globally, establishing new studios in Spain, Sweden, and Belarus, and acquiring Binary Motion and New World Interactive. They worked on diverse projects, including porting The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to the Nintendo Switch for CD Projekt Red and developing their own game, World War Z.

In February 2020, Saber was acquired by the Embracer Group, becoming a subsidiary while retaining its autonomy. Under Embracer, Saber further grew by acquiring more subsidiaries and developing titles like Evil Dead: The Game. However, due to financial pressures, Embracer sold Saber to Beacon Interactive, a company owned by Karch, in a deal that allowed Saber to keep all its branded studios and IPs.

Despite parting ways with Embracer, CCO Tim Willits reassured fans on X (formerly Twitter) that Saber's projects would continue as planned. Currently, Saber is actively developing several titles, including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (released in September 2024), John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, and Jurassic Park: Survival.