Halo: Combat Evolved Remake Was Developed For Free Exposure— And It Worked

The 2011 remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was a pivotal project for the then-independent studio Saber Interactive, who offered to undertake it for free. This bold move not only showcased their dedication but also set the stage for their future success in the gaming industry. Let's delve into how this opportunity unfolded and transformed a small indie team into a major player in the gaming world.

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 behind their pitch to Microsoft. Karch boldly stated that his studio would remaster the iconic first Halo game for free, emphasizing, "Because it’s Halo." This proposition left the Xbox executive in attendance "shocked," but Karch saw it as a strategic move for his 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.'"

Saber's gamble paid off. They secured the project and released Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary on the Xbox 360 in 2011. Although Karch initially proposed a low bid of $4 million at Microsoft's request, the studio ultimately received no royalties due to specific contract clauses imposed by Microsoft.

From Relying On Publishers To Becoming One Themselves

Despite the financial loss from the 2011 remake, Saber's fortunes changed when Microsoft contracted them to contribute to Halo: The Master Chief Collection alongside other developers like Bungie and 343 Industries. Their role expanded to porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One. However, Microsoft initially forgot to send a contract for this port until just before the collection's release. Karch refused to sign until Microsoft agreed to remove the royalty-killing clauses from the previous contract. This negotiation resulted in a lucrative deal for Saber, earning them tens of millions of dollars from The Master Chief Collection.

This significant payout was a turning point for Saber. As Karch reflected, "We’ve watched other people make money on our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own," signaling their shift from dependency to self-sufficiency.

Saber Interactive Now

Following their successful collaboration with Microsoft, Saber Interactive expanded globally, establishing new studios in Spain, Sweden, and Belarus, and acquiring other studios like Binary Motion and New World Interactive. They worked on various projects, including the Nintendo Switch port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with CD Projekt Red and developed World War Z under their own banner.

In February 2020, Saber Interactive was acquired by the Embracer Group, becoming a subsidiary while retaining autonomy. Under Embracer, they continued to grow, acquiring more subsidiaries and developing games like Evil Dead: The Game. However, due to financial constraints, Embracer sold Saber to Beacon Interactive, a company owned by Saber's CEO Karch, in a deal that allowed Saber to retain all its branded studios and IPs.

Despite the split from Embracer, Saber's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits reassured fans via X (formerly Twitter) that their work would continue as planned. Currently, Saber Interactive 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.