Saber Interactive's chief executive, Matthew Karch, has been reported to have hidden a dig at Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford inside one of his studio's game trailers, in an apparent response to Pitchford's recent public criticism of former parent company Embracer Group. The jibe reflects ongoing tension between senior figures at studios that were previously part of Embracer's sprawling games empire, after several were spun off or sold as the Swedish holding company restructured.

Karch is quoted making a pointed remark suggesting that without Embracer's backing, Pitchford "is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living" — a barbed reference to Pitchford's history as an amateur magician before his career in games. The comment appears aimed at undercutting Pitchford's recent criticisms of Embracer, framing Gearbox's success as owing more to its former parent's support than Pitchford has publicly acknowledged.