In a surprising shift, the studio behind the upcoming Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is setting its sights on a new focus – the “middle market” of gaming. Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch recently expressed doubts about the sustainability of the $70 AAA game price point, and sees an opportunity for the studio to capitalize on the success of lower-budget “AA” titles like the breakout hit Helldivers 2.
Speaking to IGN, Karch acknowledged that Space Marine 2 is Saber’s “best” game yet, but said he “doesn’t want” to charge the standard $70 price for it. The CEO believes there is a persistent stigma against cheaper games, which players may perceive as lower in quality. This presents a challenge for Saber, which Karch describes as a “middle market” or AA-level studio.
However, the phenomenal success of Helldivers 2 this year has offered Karch a potential solution. The studio’s CEO sees the game’s surprise triumph as proof that AA titles can outperform major AAA releases, defying the perception that lower-budget games are inherently inferior.
“I think that as games become more expensive to make, the $70 title is going to go the way of the dodo,” Karch told IGN. “I do. I just don’t think it’s sustainable… What if it fails? You remember what happened when Ubisoft a couple of years ago, all their titles slipped out of the year, and then all of a sudden, they were in an entirely different place? It’s hard to recover from that.”
Rather than chasing ever-higher development budgets and prices, Karch indicates Saber Interactive will now focus on crafting high-quality “middle market” games that can find success without relying on a $70 price tag. The Helldivers 2 model has shown there is an appetite for such experiences, and Saber seems poised to capitalize on that opportunity in the years ahead.
