Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch says Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is a success, and he is using the horror game to make a bigger argument about the direction of the industry. In a LinkedIn post earlier this week, Karch shared that the game "has been performing extremely well on PC and console," and said it proves there is real value in mid-budget games.
"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."
Karch Says AA Is The Future
Karch went on to explain why he thinks the industry should move away from massive productions and toward more modest projects built on established properties.
"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."
He also hinted that Revival is only the start. "This is the first in a series of releases by Saber that will continue to prove out our methodology."
Saber has plenty of experience with this approach. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 recently passed 15 million players, and World War Z became a long-running success for the company. Saber also has Jurassic Park: Survival, a John Wick game and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 in its lineup.
Players Love It More Than Critics
Revival launched earlier this month on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. Critics were mixed on the game, but players have been far more positive, and it currently holds a Very Positive rating on Steam with roughly 94 percent of user reviews recommending it.
Physical copies have also been hard to find in some regions, with fans reporting that the PS5 version sold out at several stores. That kind of demand is a big reason Karch is so confident about the AA model.
What Is Hellraiser: Revival?
Developed by Boss Team Games, Revival is a first-person survival horror game set in the world of Hellraiser. Players take control of Aidan, who is pulled into the nightmare of the Cenobites after his girlfriend Sunny becomes caught up with the Genesis Configuration, a puzzle box that opens the door to the Labyrinth.
The game leans hard into the gore and body horror the franchise is known for, and the developers made it clear before launch that they were not interested in toning things down. Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead for the first time in decades, which has gone a long way with longtime fans, and Barker himself has praised how far the team was able to push the content.
Is Karch Right About AA?
Karch is not the only executive making this argument. Rising development costs and long production cycles have made huge AAA releases riskier than ever, while smaller games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have shown that a tighter budget can still deliver a hit.
There is also the price to consider. Karch specifically pointed to a lower price as part of what makes a AA game appealing. Players have shown again and again that they are willing to take a chance on a smaller game when the price is right, especially during a busy release season packed with major titles.
Karch did not say AAA games are going away, but he clearly believes companies would be better off making more games like Revival. With more releases on the way, Saber looks ready to keep testing that theory.
Do you agree with Saber's CEO that AA games are the future, and have you played Hellraiser: Revival yet?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.