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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Speaking to IGN, former interim COO of Embracer Karch discussed Saber’s divestment from the troubled group, and where he sees Saber’s place in the market as a standalone publisher.

The exec said he believes Saber, which encompasses studios like Nimble Giant (Star Trek Infinite), 3D Realms (Ion Fury), and potentially 4A Games (Metro), occupies a position between independent studios and AAA publishers.

Karch cited Helldivers 2 as an example of the type of “middle market” game it would like to emulate. He told IGN that one of its upcoming titles, Space Marine 2, will retail for $70, but only because he’s concerned audiences would see a cheaper price as emblematic of poor quality.

“I think that as games become more expensive to make, the $70 title is going to go the way of the dodo [bird]. I do,” he said.

“I just don’t think it’s sustainable… Look, you remember the hype for Cyberpunk, which I think actually ultimately performed okay, but when the expectations are so high and so much money is put into one title, it’s hugely risky for the company that’s doing it. 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.

“I think the market is going to shift to development which is not necessarily lower quality, but there’s going to be an emphasis on trying to find ways to reduce costs.”

With thousands of job cuts announced across the games industry in the past 18 months, Karch acknowledged that AAA development is going through a major shift and claimed that past trends of sky-high budgets and lengthy development periods aren’t sustainable.

“I think that there’s going to be a real shortage of game content over the coming few years,” he said. “You’ve seen how many layoffs there’s been, you see how many games have gotten killed. But we have a lot of good projects going on that I’m proud of and that I feel really, really strongly about.”

$70 games ‘will go the way of the dodo’, believes Saber CEO | VGC

The former interim Embracer COO believes developers will move to reduce risk and costs…

www.videogameschronicle.com

 

[LordCBH]

Amazing he can asssume people will see a game cheaper than $70 of being “poor quality” when Helldivers 2 sold for $40 and is pretty much universally agreed to be amazing.

The quality people associate with price isn’t the issue. The issue is they want to sell it for $70 because $$$. They really shouldn’t lie.

 

[geary]

 

[winjer]

Plenty of bad games at the 70$ price point.
And many great games at lower prices.
So I have to call BS on this argument.

 

[Sub_Level]

Perceived lack of quality due to low price is a real thing in marketing in some products. A $20 bottle of wine could be the best tasting thing in the world but a buyer looking for something nice will probably go for a $100+ bottle instead because they perceive higher price to mean higher quality even if its not necessarily true.

Doesn’t really apply to videogames tho. Most customers, at least on console and pc, have likely had more than one experience of buying a $10-$40 game and being blown away.

 

[Punished Miku]

Amazing he can asssume people will see a game cheaper than $70 of being “poor quality” when Helldivers 2 sold for $40 and is pretty much universally agreed to be amazing.

The quality people associate with price isn’t the issue. The issue is they want to sell it for $70 because $$$. They really shouldn’t lie.

He's 100% not lying. For a publisher like Focus and a studio like Saber, they've had games with high quality for a while now that often get ignored. Their biggest challenge is about changing perception exactly like he's talking about and being seen as a premium game studio. People see them as a mid-tier Eurojank publisher.

 

[Luipadre]

lmao this guy. Lots of shit games releasing at that price nowadays meanwhile helldivers is thriving with its 40 dollar price tag

 

[poppabk]

Amazing he can asssume people will see a game cheaper than $70 of being “poor quality” when Helldivers 2 sold for $40 and is pretty much universally agreed to be amazing.

The quality people associate with price isn’t the issue. The issue is they want to sell it for $70 because $$$. They really shouldn’t lie.

Helldivers is live service, that market is different. I've seen multiple posts calling Hellblade II a budget title or deriding it for its price so he has a point.

 

[Punished Miku]

I've seen multiple posts calling Hellblade II a budget title or deriding it for its price so he has a point.

That's definitely true.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

He's 100% not lying. For a publisher like Focus and a studio like Saber, they've had games with high quality for a while now that often get ignored. Their biggest challenge is about changing perception exactly like he's talking about and being seen as a premium game studio. People see them as a mid-tier Eurojank publisher.

If they get ignored it may be due to poor marketing and communication, nothing to do with the price. A game like The Talos Principle 2, absolute top tier, is less than 20 USD now and 40 USD on launch, none will think it's mid or something.

Helldivers 2, which is also top tier quality was played down for not having a story mode and being GaaS. Pricing is not the issue.

On the contrary, many people were questioning games like Returnal or Demons Souls being full-price.

 

[Doctor Hades]

That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read but it could only come from a CEO of a massive company where the focus is on maximising profits for their shareholders not offering value to their customers.

These companies are pushing for the $70./ £60 to be standard and trying to justify that with 'quality' when the truth is that many of those games still release in a poor state and are usually crammed full of microtransactions and DLC anyway, which in my view just devalues them and makes me feel I am buying an incomplete game. Also, $70 is often the basic version with even more costly versions available, usually with 3 day early access but the reality is that you are just paying to be a beta tester for those 3 days!

I am finding myself enjoying the smaller games far more these days and generally find the triple A games to be disappointing. The so-called double A games, usually ship with issues, but they are typically much more interesting to play and tend to be more ambitious. The lower price point makes the flaws more forgivable, something that is less acceptable in a $70 / £60 triple A title.

 

[Holammer]

€35.19 for a key on Cdkeys.
By his logic, it means the game sucks.

 

[T8SC]

 

[Lupin25]

But why not a $50 price point like Remnant 2?

What matters is the game’s reception. People won’t know the game’s quality without reviews or playing it themselves.

They’re not going to jump in just because it’s $70, especially since this franchise is new to most. It’s almost as if devs are unsure of themselves now.

 

[STARSBarry]

Ah yes... what great timing to pull that one out as an excuse...

40$

VS

70$

Lower price seems to come with "Higher Quality and more fun" because they feel like there trying to sell more copy's based on how good the game is that will continue to sell. Rather than front load their price because they know the game is shit and need to cash out before the word of mouth spreads.

 

[Kings Field]

Helldivers 2 and Remnant 2 prove his point to be horseshit

 

[Dazraell]

Lmao, this fucking guy

 

[Saber]

Mind remind you these are the same guys who created WWZ and the game still has bugs to this day. I believe this game will not be different, so charging that price is something else.

 

[Arsic]

Isn’t this the same clown that touted his AI for Rage was going to be so smart and insane? Then Adam Sessler hugged him live on air like a cringe AF douche nozzle?

Yeah…

 

[Panajev2001a]

$70 games ‘will go the way of the dodo’, believes Saber CEO | VGC

The former interim Embracer COO believes developers will move to reduce risk and costs…

www.videogameschronicle.com

On the other hand, some people probably do think like that so double .

 

[SmokedMeat]

Nah, plenty of poor quality $70 games.

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

Ok, but how much is the collector's edition?

Edit: is there no collector's edition? Only Gold?

$99.99 for Steelcase, DLC, and ability to play 3 days early.

I'm in.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Does he honestly think people are stupid enough to believe him? Bad form.

 

[GreatnessRD]

Ain't nobody buying ya shit ass game, boi. Fuck them $70 games! I'll wait till the shit on sale. Fuck outta here, pley-boi.

 

[N1tr0sOx1d3]

I’m not buying a game unless it’s £300 from now on. £300 to me means it’s a AAAA game and GOAT.

 

[Clear]

So many experts on the economics of game production here! Real big-brain stuff coming from people who blanch at paying $70 for a game. Try adding a bunch of zeroes after that figure in years of investment before seeing a penny back, and see how confident you are!

 

[John Bilbo]

Bullshit.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Perceived lack of quality due to low price is a real thing in marketing in some products. A $20 bottle of wine could be the best tasting thing in the world but a buyer looking for something nice will probably go for a $100+ bottle instead because they perceive higher price to mean higher quality even if its not necessarily true.

Doesn’t really apply to videogames tho. Most customers, at least on console and pc, have likely had more than one experience of buying a $10-$40 game and being blown away.

There's a whole psychology to pricing. It's really quite fascinating. We don't even realize it. But for instance when you go into Costco and see the wood wine cabinets and bottles at the top are priced $50-$100 from some place you've never even heard of, it makes you think Costco sells better wine than everywhere else. Which is of course not true at all.

I will say that if Space Marine II released for $49.99 or $59.99, I think quite a few people would immediately make a snap judgement and say "Oof, what's wrong with it, there must be something wrong with it." But at $70 I don't imagine it will be an enormous success. Unless you have an ultra-high profile/ highly popular IP, the $70 price point is increasing the chance of the price being murder to your game.

 

[tvdaXD]

Lmfao, with a 70$ pricetag I can't help but to think of underdelivered, buggy, microtransaction-filled, live-service, too-little-too-late, trash. Typical triple/quadruple-A shenanigans.
Meanwhile 40$ bangers like Helldivers and many other cheaper games are performing way better, I love it.

 

[AJUMP23]

With that logic he should charge a $100.

 

[Duchess]

because he’s concerned audiences would see a cheaper price as emblematic of poor quality​

This is why Helldivers 2 is doing so badly.

 

[DGrayson]

 

[mitch1971]

Got to love the business speak: Yes, it's your fault consumers.

 

[Ozriel]

Amazing he can asssume people will see a game cheaper than $70 of being “poor quality” when Helldivers 2 sold for $40 and is pretty much universally agreed to be amazing.

The quality people associate with price isn’t the issue. The issue is they want to sell it for $70 because $$$. They really shouldn’t lie.

He’s not far off the mark, though.

People were talking down Hellblade 2 based off a $50 price tag.

Apparently a lower price tag ‘doesn’t inspire confidence’.

We also got some talk from the Miles Morales pricing.

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

My inner WH40k fan cannot wait to slaughter Tyranid swarms with WW Z-level hordes (bless Saber Engine).

 

[Arsic]

There’s still this misconception by casuals that lower prices means not high quality game or that something is missing.

The regular above casual knows better.

Why you would utter this shit out loud is insane to me. These people shouldn’t be allowed to take interviews or have social media. They just damage their own products everytime they utter a sentence.

 

[KaiserBecks]

Amazing he can asssume people will see a game cheaper than $70 of being “poor quality” when Helldivers 2 sold for $40 and is pretty much universally agreed to be amazing.

The quality people associate with price isn’t the issue. The issue is they want to sell it for $70 because $$$. They really shouldn’t lie.

I remember people bitching about Battlefield not having single player. As much as I love Helldivers 2, it’s a relatively barebones MP only title (luckily with more content coming), it shouldn’t be a full priced game.

 

[hinch7]

The guy obviously hasn't seen how successful indie games can be and have become. And not conflagerate high spend on 'AAA' games and budgets.. to what audiences actually want. Which are games with strong gameplay mechanics first. High production values doesn't mean that much, and cost doesn't represent quality.

I'd say its higher risk making these big budget games and needing to sell games at $70 to do well. Than a more modest cost project selling at a lower price. The lower perception of lower cost games is frankly, BS. The most wanted games in recent months have been sub $60 games with Helldivers 2 and Palworld.

 

[ssringo]

When I see a $70 price tag my only thought is that unless it's top tier incredible those "poor quality" games are a better purchase.

 

[Embearded]

Helldivers 2 says hi!

 

[Tams]

Nintendo get it.

As long as it is a high quality game, like how Hogwarts Legacy is, then I don't see the problem.

It's still the best value entertainment you can get anyway.

 

[Topher]

Doesn't make sense. If that is the "only" reason then doesn't seem like he believes the game is worth $70.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

This is why Helldivers 2 is doing so badly.

Yes, you have managed to find the one exception to the rule.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Game looks amazing, price is fine to me.

 

[Iced Arcade]

There are things you can just choose not to say lol

 

[Punished Miku]

Yes you have managed to find the exception to the rule.

$40 is seen as the top / premium end of "indie." It was never marketed or packaged as a traditional retail product. Returnal, as a roguelike, would have done much better at that price.

$50-60 is kind of the in between state. I like it, I'm open minded about it. But a lot of people just see it as a weakness. "Oh they're already discounting it, might as well just wait for it to drop more." Even though pricing it lower to start is a boon for consumers, they sometimes don't reward it. Sometimes they do though. Just depends.

 

[Ozriel]

Why you would utter this shit out loud is insane to me. These people shouldn’t be allowed to take interviews or have social media. They just damage their own products everytime they utter a sentence.

My thoughts exactly. Why would he be so stupid as to say this shit out?

 

[Fabieter]

Can preorder it physically on a german website for 55 euro with shipping. I will do that .

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

I know when I see that $70 price for a game what I'm paying for is AAAA quality. I demand top tier product like Skull and Bones or Suicide Squad. Not trash like Helldivers 2 which is nearly half the price of these real games. Why tf would anyone want only two As anyway when you can have three or even FOUR of them?? It doesn't make sense. Maybe if you're dumb or one of those poors I guess. I know I really want GTA VI but I'll be damned if I'm getting it unless they charge at least $80 for it.

 

[Nok Su Kow]