Saber Says North American Game Development Is Too Costly
Saber Interactive’s Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits has advocated for an AA development strategy as a more sustainable approach than expensive AAA game development. The executive emphasized that this model prioritizes controlled budgets, global team distribution, and multiple concurrent projects over blockbuster-focused spending.
Willits’ core argument is that studios should avoid putting all their resources into a single title. “If you have one guy who has to get a home run every game, you are not going to succeed,” he explained. Instead, with more releases, developers can spread resources and funding across multiple projects, allowing them to take more varied bets and reduce financial risk on any single game.
The Saber executive believes AA development has proven more effective than AAA, addressing a broader industry trend where major game development is increasingly shifting away from North America. He attributed this geographic shift to the region’s financial challenges and rising costs, which make it difficult for studios to maintain profitability under traditional AAA budgets.
This discussion highlights growing concerns within the industry about development spending in North America. As studios explore more cost-conscious development strategies and relocate production to other regions, the gaming industry’s traditional hub may be undergoing significant changes in how games are funded and produced.