Back in 2011, the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary remake was handed over to then-independent studio Saber Interactive, who offered to develop it for free. Discover how this bold move paid off and how a small indie team landed a dream project on one of gaming’s most iconic franchises.
Saber Interactive Offered To Do Halo For Free
A Major Breakthrough For An Independent Studio
In an interview with journalist Stephen Totilo for Game File, Saber Interactive CEO and co-founder Matthew Karch shared how his young, independent studio pitched to Microsoft for the chance to remaster the original Halo game—and offered to do it at no cost. As Karch put it, "Because it's Halo."
The Xbox executive present during the meeting was reportedly "shocked," but Karch saw the opportunity as a strategic investment. At the time, Saber was a fledgling independent studio, and working on one of the world's biggest gaming franchises would provide unparalleled exposure. He compared it to earning a Harvard diploma—"Everyone will want to work with me after seeing I worked on Halo." The hope was that this project would open doors to future opportunities.
Microsoft accepted the offer, and Saber went on to develop Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, released on Xbox 360 in 2011. While they eventually submitted a $4 million bid at Microsoft's request, contractual clauses nullified any potential royalties, meaning Saber effectively developed the title without financial return.
From Developer to Publisher—Leveraging Experience Into Profit
Though the initial Halo remake didn't bring direct financial gain, Saber’s involvement helped them secure a role in developing Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Working alongside Bungie and 343 Industries, Saber was also tasked with porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One.
However, Microsoft nearly overlooked the contract for the Xbox One port until shortly before the collection's release. Karch used this situation as leverage, refusing to sign unless Microsoft removed the same royalty-restricting clauses from the earlier deal.
This time around, Saber was fairly compensated—earning tens of millions of dollars from their work on The Master Chief Collection. This payout marked a turning point for the studio, giving them the capital needed to grow and expand independently. As Karch recalled telling COO Andrey Iones, “We’ve watched others profit from our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own.”
Saber Interactive Today
Following their success with Halo, Saber Interactive expanded rapidly, opening studios across Spain, Sweden, and Belarus. They also acquired development teams like Binary Motion and New World Interactive.
The company collaborated on major projects such as the Nintendo Switch version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with CD Projekt Red and released their own hit title, World War Z. In February 2020, Saber was acquired by Embracer Group while maintaining creative independence.
Under Embracer, Saber grew further, acquiring studios and launching titles like Evil Dead: The Game. However, when Embracer faced financial challenges, Saber was sold to Beacon Interactive—owned by CEO Matthew Karch—ensuring the retention of all Saber-owned brands and IPs.
Despite the change in ownership, Saber continues active development on multiple titles. Current projects include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (launched in September 2024), John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, and Jurassic Park: Survival. Creative CCO Tim Willits confirmed via X that operations and development remain unaffected.
