For most of 2023, there was nonstop news and discussions about mergers, and one of the most highly discussed was Embracer Group, which was snagging companies left, right and center. So, when it was announced that Saber Interactive was separating from the corporate giant, it came as a surprise to many. Luckily, we may finally know the truth about the separation and why it happened in the first place.
In a recent interview with IGN, the CEO of Saber Interactive, Matthew Karch, revealed several details about the separation. Karch says that while the separation was unfortunate, he was confident in the decision that was made. Despite what many on the internet would believe, the CEO has no regrets surrounding the merger. It was thanks to the merger that Saber Interactive was able to pick up several studios including the likes of 3D Realms and Nimble Giant Entertainment and many more.
Karch revealed that Saber Entertainment left the conglomerate on “very good terms” and even praised Embracer’s own CEO, Lars Wingefors. However, the main reason for why things went south was due to the market not being “patient” enough. What this means was, despite there being several big titles in the works, the demand from the gaming market shifted and increased, causing Embracer to take a huge blow financially. This in-turn, led them to make some drastic decisions.
Despite what has happened, including a large wave of mass layoffs within the gaming industry, Karch is still confident in his praise for Embracer. As for the future, Karch says that the upcoming 40,000: Space Marine 2 “is the best thing Saber’s ever done, and it probably occupies second, third, and fourth place also.”. This isn’t the only big project that Saber Entertainment has in the works, such as the Knights of Old Republic Remake, Jurassic Park: Survival, World War Z, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando and a new title not related to the Metro series. It’s safe to say there’s a lot in-store for players from a post-Embracer Saber Interactive.
