Saber Interactive has taken the step of adding a clear AI usage disclaimer to the Steam storefront for its upcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, after a wave of controversy surrounding claims that the company had sidelined a human writer in favor of artificial‑intelligence generated text. The notice, which now appears prominently on the game’s Steam page, is intended to address concerns raised by former staff and the broader gaming community about transparency and the ethical use of AI in game development.
The full wording of the disclaimer reads as follows: "This update follows recent comments from Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch regarding former writer Stella Sacco, who was employed by Saber from July 2023 until July 2024. Ms.
Sacco alleges that she was removed from the Rideshare Simulator project midway through production and that her responsibilities were subsequently filled by ChatGPT, alongside other undisclosed AI tools used during development. In response, Mr. Karch has clarified that Ms.
Sacco was replaced by another individual he described as ‘more talented’ and that her contract was terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later. He further added that, in hindsight, he would have been comfortable substituting her work with AI." The controversy began when Stella Sacco, a writer who contributed to the early stages of Rideshare Simulator, publicly claimed that she was dismissed from the project and that her writing duties were taken over by an AI language model, specifically ChatGPT.
Sacco’s allegations suggested that the studio had also employed other AI‑driven tools for tasks that had not been disclosed to the public or to the development team. Her statements quickly spread across industry forums, social media, and gaming news outlets, prompting a heated debate about the role of AI in creative industries.
Matt Karch, the chief executive of Saber Interactive, responded to the allegations in a series of interviews and social‑media posts. In an interview with the video‑game podcast "This Week In Videogames," Karch said, "Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her." He went on to explain that the company had already announced its intention to use AI for certain aspects of the game, but that the specifics of the feature set were still being finalized. "We look at our use of AI in this particular game, which will be a lower‑priced title, as a plus for consumers," Karch added, framing the technology as a benefit rather than a cost‑cutting measure.
The tension escalated when Sacco posted on the social‑media platform BlueSky over the weekend, stating that Karch had "apologised unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press." She wrote, "I've been firm from the beginning that I was telling the truth; I think we can all now agree that it's been borne out. Matt expressed a desire to make it right with me; at this time I don't really know what that looks like for me, and I'll have to take some time to sit with it, but I do at least accept his apology." Karch later issued a separate public statement on LinkedIn, acknowledging his own emotional reaction to the unfolding drama. "I unfortunately got triggered by certain later comments (for reasons I won't get into) and shot first and thought second about how to respond," he wrote. "It happens and I am a human being.
I have done what I can to rectify." The incident has sparked a broader conversation within the gaming industry about the ethical implications of replacing human creative talent with AI. Critics argue that while AI can accelerate certain production pipelines—such as generating placeholder text, procedural dialogue, or even assisting with narrative branching—it should not be used to replace skilled writers without transparency. Proponents, on the other hand, point out that AI can serve as a valuable tool for brainstorming, localization, and rapid iteration, especially for smaller or lower‑budget titles where resources are limited.
In response to the backlash, Saber Interactive has pledged to be more forthcoming about its AI practices. The company indicated that future updates to the Steam page will include a detailed breakdown of which game components are AI‑generated and which are crafted by human hands. This move aims to restore trust among players who value authenticity and to comply with emerging industry standards that call for clear labeling of AI‑generated content. The situation also raises legal and contractual questions.
If a writer’s contract is terminated and their duties are handed over to an AI system, there may be implications for intellectual property rights, credit attribution, and compensation. While the specifics of Sacco’s employment agreement have not been disclosed, her case could set a precedent for how studios negotiate the intersection of human labor and machine assistance. From a consumer perspective, the controversy highlights the importance of transparency. Gamers who purchase a title expecting a narrative crafted by seasoned writers may feel misled if significant portions of the story are produced by algorithms.
Conversely, some players appreciate the novelty of AI‑enhanced experiences, especially when the technology introduces dynamic, responsive dialogue that can adapt to player choices in real time. Looking ahead, the industry is likely to see more formal guidelines emerge, possibly from bodies such as the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) or governmental regulators, to define best practices for AI disclosure. Studios may adopt standardized labels—similar to nutrition facts on food packaging—to inform players about the proportion of AI versus human‑generated content.
In summary, Saber Interactive’s decision to add an AI disclaimer to Rideshare Simulator’s Steam page is a direct response to a public dispute involving former writer Stella Sacco and CEO Matt Karch. The episode underscores the delicate balance studios must strike between leveraging cutting‑edge technology and maintaining ethical, transparent relationships with both their creative staff and their audience. As AI continues to evolve, the gaming community will be watching closely to see how companies navigate these challenges and whether clear, honest communication can preserve trust in an increasingly automated creative landscape.