Saber had already established trust with Universal through projects involving Jurassic Park and Turok. When the idea of a licensed Stuntman game was pitched, Universal was immediately on board. This partnership allowed Saber to move beyond generic parodies of action movies—a staple of the original games—and instead place players directly into the driver’s seats of the most famous vehicles in cinema history.
The corporate landscape for Saber has changed significantly since those early development days. In 2024, Saber Interactive successfully separated from the Embracer Group in a deal worth approximately $247 million, becoming an independent entity under a company owned by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch. This independence has allowed the studio to focus its resources on its most promising projects, with Stuntman: Hollywood standing as a pillar of its future lineup.
A Cinematic Sandbox of Blockbuster IPs
The core appeal of Stuntman: Hollywood lies in its unprecedented access to legendary film properties. For a stunt-driving game, the "set" is the star, and Saber has curated a lineup that spans decades of pop culture. The confirmed roster of licenses includes The Fast and the Furious, Knight Rider, Miami Vice, Back to the Future, Jurassic World, and the cult-classic Death Race.
The involvement of the movie studios has gone beyond mere licensing. According to Willits, the "movie people" were deeply engaged in the creative process, offering ideas and even providing assets to ensure the game captured the specific feel of each franchise. This collaboration ensures that a Miami Vice sequence doesn’t just look like a generic beach drive; it captures the specific 1980s aesthetic, from the lighting to the architecture.
Saber’s strategy of cultivating deep ties with the film industry is becoming a hallmark of the studio. Beyond the Universal partnership, the company is also working with Lionsgate on an upcoming John Wick game. Willits highlighted the synergy between the two mediums, noting that working directly with Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski—a former stuntman himself—has been instrumental. Stahelski’s background as a stunt coordinator and his love for video games make him a natural collaborator for Saber, further cementing the studio’s reputation as the go-to developer for cinematic adaptations.
Hands-On: The "Bite-Sized Awesomeness" of Stunt Driving
During a hands-on demo at Gamescom, the gameplay philosophy of Stuntman: Hollywood became clear. Willits describes the experience as "bite-sized awesomeness," a term that perfectly captures the high-intensity, short-duration missions that define the game.
The demo featured five distinct stunt-driving runs, each lasting between five and ten minutes. These aren’t long-distance treks; they are concentrated bursts of action that require total focus. In every run, the player is guided by a director’s voice in their ear—a mechanic that serves as both a tutorial and a narrative anchor. The director provides real-time feedback, shouting instructions and offering praise or criticism based on the player’s performance.
