Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch believes the double-A game segment—long overshadowed by the industry’s push toward major triple-A productions—is essential to survival in a volatile market.
He points to the recent release of Hellraiser: Revival as proof that mid-budget titles can compete successfully against bigger-name releases.
In a LinkedIn post, Karch says the horror game “has been performing extremely well on PC and console.”
He also explains his view that double-A games carry lower risk and potentially stronger returns on investment than their costlier counterparts:
“The game is testament to the notion that an established IP and solid AA development with controlled costs can produce great results and high user scores.
I believe a greater focus on these middle-market IP-driven products rather than AAA behemoths is the future to maintaining growth and momentum in the game industry. While I believe there will always be a place for the properly developed and budgeted AAA experience, a AA game that provides a great immersive experience for a lower price is less risky and can provide much greater returns on average.”
There certainly does seem to be some logic in his argument; not all games can be GTA 6, nor should they be, and lower-budget titles can still prove to be huge success stories.
A notable example is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, apparently produced for a relatively low $50 million. Many games you would typically label as indie frequently go nuclear, too, almost certainly making back development costs manifold.
Triple-A games can still be worth the investment, though. Marvel’s Wolverine’s budget is unknown, but it’s likely to be in the hundreds of millions, and it’s reportedly had a very healthy launch month.
Saber Interactive appears to be thriving on its business model, anyway, with hits like Hellraiser and Space Marine 2 proving massive coffers aren’t always necessary.
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