Willits will help shape and expand the creative vision for Saber’s five studios around the world, whose recent achievements include the best-selling hit co-op shooter World War Z, the mega-popular NBA Playgrounds franchise, and the upcoming releases of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Nintendo Switch.

“From the very beginning, Saber’s entrepreneurial passion, skill and culture for game development reminded me of the early days of id,” said Willits. “This is a studio which has proven its ability to respond nimbly to trends and community across multiple genres time and again. It’s such a joy to once more be on a team of developers first, one that gets things done, is always innovating, and is hungry to control its own destiny.”

A veteran of the video game industry with two and a half decades of experience in every aspect of development, Tim Willits has made an indelible impact on the first-person shooter genre. As studio director for FPS pioneer id Software from 2013-2019, Willits’ creative, design and executive management credits include such award-winning AAA franchises as QUAKE, DOOM and RAGE. He was also the face and voice of id at multiple events, including QuakeCon, one of the world’s top grassroots gaming conventions.

“We’re truly honored Tim would make such a monumental move to join us,” said Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber. “After years of working together on Quake Champions, we’ve gained a deep mutual respect for one another on both a professional and personal level. The last few years have been transformative for Saber as we expand both as a development partner for third-party IPs around the world and a creator of our own brands — and there’s no better person than Tim to lead our vision as a studio into the future.”