Saber Interactive, renowned for its work on Halo remasters and the hit Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, has a fascinating and diverse history.  Before achieving widespread recognition, the studio's portfolio took some unexpected turns, including the development of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn and the near-creation of a Donald Trump-themed fighting game.

The studio's founder and CEO, Matthew Karch, recently revealed this surprising piece of history in an interview.  The story begins with a meeting between Karch and Shaquille O'Neal following the release of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary in 2011.  O'Neal initially pitched a detective game starring himself, but the idea evolved into a sequel to the infamous 1994 title, Shaq Fu.

This led to the crowdfunded Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn, a fighting game released in 2018.  While not a critical success, it spawned a Barack Obama-themed DLC, "Barack Fu: The Adventures of Dirty Barry," which, according to Karch, saw very little engagement.

The relative success of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn, despite its critical reception, paved the way for Saber Interactive to secure a contract for NBA Playgrounds. Released in 2017, this sports title found a niche audience on the then-new Nintendo Switch, capitalizing on the console's limited launch library. This success proved lucrative for the studio.

Following Shaq Fu, Saber entertained the idea of a spin-off titled "Trump Fu," set during Donald Trump's first term as U.S. President. The proposed storyline involved Trump's cabinet sabotaging him, leading to a plane crash in the Mexican desert and a struggle to return over the border wall.  This concept was ultimately abandoned, along with a separate idea for a Vladimir Putin-themed fighting game.