Halo: Combat Evolved Remake Developed for Free Exposure, Proves Successful

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

The 2011 remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was a significant project for the then-independent studio Saber Interactive. They offered to develop the game for free, a bold move that ultimately paid off. Dive into the story of how Saber Interactive transformed from an indie studio to a key player in the gaming industry.

Saber Interactive Offered To Do Halo For Free

A Huge Opportunity For An Independent Studio

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

In a revealing interview with journalist Stephen Totilo for Game File, Saber Interactive's CEO and co-founder Matthew Karch shared how they approached Microsoft to remaster the iconic first Halo game. Karch's pitch was straightforward: "Because it's Halo," he said, offering to do the work for free. This proposition left the Xbox executive "shocked," but Karch saw it as a strategic move for his young, independent studio. He believed that working on such a major franchise would not only boost their visibility but also open numerous doors in the industry. "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, Saber ultimately received no royalties from the project due to contractual clauses imposed by Microsoft. However, the exposure gained from this project was invaluable.

From Relying On Publishers To Becoming One Themselves

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

The free work on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary paid off when Microsoft contracted Saber to work on Halo: The Master Chief Collection alongside other developers like Bungie and 343 Industries. Saber was also tasked with porting Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to the Xbox One. However, Microsoft initially forgot to send a contract for the port until just before the collection's release. Karch refused to sign until Microsoft agreed to remove the royalty-killing clauses that had previously affected their earnings. Microsoft complied, and Saber was handsomely compensated for their work on The Master Chief Collection, receiving tens of millions of dollars. This significant payout allowed Saber to pursue larger opportunities. "We’ve watched other people make money on our work. Now we’re going to make money on our own," Karch recalled saying to his partner and Saber COO Andrey Iones.

Saber Interactive Now

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

Following their success with Microsoft, Saber Interactive expanded globally, opening new studios in Spain, Sweden, and Belarus, and acquiring other studios such as Binary Motion and New World Interactive. They collaborated on high-profile projects like 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, Embracer Group acquired Saber Interactive, making it a subsidiary while allowing it to maintain autonomy. Under Embracer, Saber continued to grow, acquiring more subsidiaries and developing games like Evil Dead: The Game. However, due to financial constraints, Embracer sold Saber Interactive 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 Interactive's CCO Tim Willits reassured fans via X (Twitter) that their ongoing projects would continue as planned. Currently, Saber is working on several titles, including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (released in September 2024), John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, and Jurassic Park: Survival.