“We can get any IP” - Saber CCO on why reviving dormant franchises is the big, obvious secret to the publisher’s success, and why Xbox could learn from it
Saber Interactive has emerged as a major force in the gaming industry by pursuing a distinctive strategy: reviving dormant and long-dead franchises. The publisher’s fortunes have transformed dramatically in recent years, first gaining prominence with World War Z and achieving significant success with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Leveraging this momentum, Saber has brought forward new entries in established but dormant series including Turok and Stuntman, while also undertaking high-profile remakes of classic titles such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
According to Saber’s Chief Creative Officer, the strategy stems from their ability to secure and develop iconic intellectual properties. The studio’s approach stands out in an era where long gaps between major releases are common. By maintaining a consistent cadence of new releases across multiple franchises simultaneously, Saber has differentiated itself in a crowded marketplace. This aggressive revival and remake strategy appears to be paying off commercially and critically.
The article suggests that Saber’s success with this model could serve as a blueprint for other publishers, including Microsoft’s Xbox division, which has faced challenges in building a robust first-party game library.