Classic Saber

Lore & Background

Saber Interactive was founded in 2001 by Andrey Iones, Matthew Karch, and Anton Krupkin. Together they created a 3D engine from scratch, gathered a team of artists from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and began working on its first game, Will Rock. After the release of Will Rock, Saber developed its proprietary game engine, Saber3D, which was used in its second title, TimeShift (2007). The Saber3D engine has since been continuously updated and evolved for use in current games.

In 2010, Saber was approached by Microsoft's 343 Industries to remake Halo: Combat Evolved for the game's tenth anniversary. Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary was released on November 15, 2011, to positive reviews. Saber then assisted in 2014 on the development of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. On August 1, 2016, Saber Interactive opened its first internal studio outside of Russia in Madrid.

This was the beginning of a major international expansion, with Saber opening studios in Sundsvall, Sweden (by buying porting studio Binary Motion), and Minsk, Belarus. CD Projekt Red partnered with Saber in 2018 on the Nintendo Switch port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Complete Edition. The port was released on October 15, 2019, to positive reviews. On April 16, 2019, Saber launched World War Z. The game sold over one million units in its first week of release. id Software studio director Tim Willits joined Saber as chief creative officer on August 1, 2019.

In October 2019, Saber Interactive acquired Bigmoon Entertainment, a game development studio of forty people based in Porto, Portugal, and rebranded the studio as Saber Porto. Saber was acquired by Embracer Group in February 2020 in a deal worth US$525 million. Under the deal, Saber became the fifth direct subsidiary under Embracer and maintains autonomy. Post-acquisition, Matthew Karch continues to serve as chief executive officer and Andrey Iones as chief operating officer.

After joining Embracer, Saber became a platform for future acquisitions of other studios. In August 2020, Saber Interactive acquired 4A Games and New World Interactive. In November 2020, Saber Interactive acquired 34BigThings, Mad Head Games, Nimble Giant Entertainment, Snapshot Games and Zen Studios. Former President and CEO of id Software, Todd Hollenshead, joined Saber as Head of Publishing on November 18, 2020.

Reader's Guide

Saber Interactive is a developer and publisher of video games. Notable games include Will Rock, TimeShift, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, World War Z, and Rideshare 'Stimulator'. The company has developed ports such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Complete Edition for Nintendo Switch and Kingdom Come: Deliverance for Nintendo Switch. It also published Evil Dead: The Game and a new entry in the Painkiller franchise.

Founding and Early Engine Development

Saber Interactive Inc. emerged in 2001 as an American developer headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, established by co-founders Andrey Iones, Matthew Karch, and Anton Krupkin. The trio began their journey by constructing a proprietary 3D engine from the ground up while assembling a creative team of artists based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Their inaugural project was Will Rock, which laid the groundwork for future technical achievements. Following this initial release, the company refined its technology into the Saber3D engine, a versatile tool that powered their second major title, TimeShift, upon its 2007 launch.

This engine became a cornerstone of their production pipeline, undergoing continuous updates and evolution to support modern gaming standards. The early years were defined by this blend of technical innovation and international collaboration, setting the stage for Saber's transition from a small startup into a significant player in the video game industry capable of handling complex development tasks.

Major Franchise Collaborations

A pivotal moment in Saber's history arrived in 2010 when Microsoft's 343 Industries approached them to remake Halo: Combat Evolved for its tenth anniversary. Co-founder and COO Andrey Iones described this as an unmissable opportunity, marking the studio's first entry into a major franchise. To honor the original experience while modernizing visuals, Saber ingeniously utilized the game's original engine for gameplay mechanics while employing their proprietary Saber3D technology for graphical rendering.

Released in November 2011, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary received positive critical reception and was followed by Saber's assistance on Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 2014. This reputation for high-quality porting and remastering led to further prestigious partnerships, including a collaboration with CD Projekt Red in 2018 to bring The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Complete Edition to the Nintendo Switch. Released in October 2019, this port was widely praised for its performance and playability, cementing Saber's status as a trusted partner for adapting beloved titles across new platforms.

Global Expansion and Acquisition Era

Following their success with major franchises, Saber embarked on an aggressive international expansion strategy starting in August 2016 with the opening of their first internal studio outside Russia in Madrid. This growth continued rapidly with studios established in Sundsvall, Sweden, through the acquisition of Binary Motion, and in Minsk, Belarus. The company's trajectory shifted dramatically in February 2020 when Embracer Group acquired Saber for US$525 million, making it a direct subsidiary while maintaining operational autonomy under CEO Matthew Karch and COO Andrey Iones.

Post-acquisition, Saber became a hub for further consolidation, absorbing numerous studios including Bigmoon Entertainment (rebranded as Saber Porto), 4A Games, New World Interactive, and Aspyr. This period saw the integration of high-profile talent like id Software's Tim Willits and Todd Hollenshead, transforming Saber into a massive conglomerate with over 1,350 employees and a diverse portfolio ranging from original titles like World War Z to publishing labels such as Prime Matter.

Corporate Restructuring and Recent Controversies

In March 2024, amidst broader financial challenges within the Embracer Group, Saber Interactive was divested and sold back to Beacon Interactive, an investment company owned by co-founder Matthew Karch. The US$247 million deal allowed Saber to retain key studios like 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, and Fractured Byte, while other entities such as Aspyr and Shiver Entertainment remained with Embracer or were sold separately. This return to founder control marked a new chapter for the company, though it was soon overshadowed by significant controversy in 2026.

Matthew Karch admitted that artificial intelligence had been utilized to generate dialogue for upcoming projects following accusations from a former employee who claimed she was replaced by ChatGPT. Karch's subsequent personal insults toward the accuser amplified the negative publicity, resulting in poor reviews for titles like Rideshare "Stimulator" and sparking intense debate regarding AI integration within the studio's creative processes.