Saber Interactive has now appended an artificial‑intelligence disclaimer to the Steam storefront for its title Rideshare Simulator after a heated dispute erupted over claims that the studio had dismissed a writer in favor of AI‑generated text. The notice, which appears prominently on the game's product page, serves to clarify the company's stance on AI usage and to address the controversy that surrounded the departure of former staff member Stella Sacco. The full wording of the disclaimer reads as follows: "This update follows comments from Saber CEO Matt Karch regarding writer Stella Sacco, who worked at Saber from July 2023 to July 2024, and stated she was removed from Rideshare midway through development and replaced with ChatGPT, while alleging other then‑unannounced use of AI in the game's development." The situation began when Sacco, who served as a lead writer on Rideshare Simulator, publicly alleged that she was taken off the project part‑way through its creation and that her responsibilities were handed over to a version of ChatGPT.
In addition to this claim, she suggested that other, still‑undisclosed aspects of the game’s development had also relied on artificial‑intelligence tools without proper disclosure to the public or the team. In response, CEO Matt Karch issued a statement that attempted to refute Sacco’s accusations.
He said that Sacco had "been replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later," and added a somewhat ambiguous remark that "in retrospect I would have been happy to replace her with AI." Karch’s comments quickly attracted scrutiny because they seemed to acknowledge the possibility of AI substitution while simultaneously defending the studio’s hiring decisions. During an interview with the podcast This Week In Videogames, Karch further distanced himself from Sacco, saying, "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 that AI would be employed for specific sections of the game and that the Steam page would be updated once the feature set was finalized. "We view our use of AI in this particular game, which will be a lower‑priced title, as a benefit for consumers," he added, framing the technology as a cost‑saving measure that could ultimately improve the player experience.
The controversy escalated when Sacco posted on the social 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 comment on LinkedIn, attempting to explain his emotional reaction. "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 admitted.
"It happens and I am a human being. I have done what I can to rectify." The exchange highlights several broader industry trends.
First, the integration of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models into game development pipelines is becoming increasingly common. Studios are using these systems to generate dialogue, quest descriptions, and even procedural content, often citing speed and cost efficiency as primary motivations. However, the lack of transparency about when and how AI is used has raised ethical questions about authorship, credit, and the potential displacement of human writers. Second, the incident underscores the delicate nature of employer‑employee relationships in creative fields.
Writers, artists, and designers often view their work as deeply personal, and the prospect of being replaced by an algorithm can feel like an affront to their professional identity. When a studio publicly acknowledges AI involvement without clear attribution, it can lead to feelings of betrayal among staff members who fear their contributions may be undervalued or erased. Finally, the public apology from a CEO—especially one that openly admits to an impulsive, emotionally driven response—reflects a growing awareness of the importance of corporate communication in the age of social media. Executives are increasingly expected to respond quickly, transparently, and with a tone that acknowledges both the factual and human elements of a dispute.
In the wake of the controversy, Saber Interactive has taken concrete steps to mitigate the fallout. The AI disclaimer on the Steam page now informs potential buyers that certain elements of the game may have been generated or assisted by artificial intelligence, providing a degree of transparency that was previously missing. Additionally, the company has pledged to review its internal policies regarding AI usage, ensuring that any future implementation will be accompanied by clear guidelines on credit, compensation, and communication with both staff and the public. For readers unfamiliar with the background, Rideshare Simulator is positioned as an affordable, niche title that simulates the day‑to‑day experience of a rideshare driver.
Its development timeline spanned roughly a year, during which the team experimented with various technologies to streamline content creation. The decision to incorporate AI was initially framed as a cost‑saving measure, allowing the studio to allocate resources toward other aspects of the game such as physics, vehicle modeling, and environment design. While some industry observers view the controversy as a cautionary tale about the perils of opaque AI adoption, others argue that the backlash is inevitable whenever new technology disrupts established workflows.
The key takeaway, according to many analysts, is that studios must balance innovation with responsibility, ensuring that human creators are respected, credited, and fairly compensated even as AI tools become more sophisticated. As the situation continues to develop, both Sacco and Saber Interactive have indicated a willingness to move forward, albeit cautiously.
Sacco’s acceptance of Karch’s apology suggests a possible reconciliation, while the studio’s updated Steam page signals a commitment to greater openness. Whether this episode will prompt broader industry changes remains to be seen, but it certainly adds another chapter to the ongoing conversation about AI’s role in creative media and the human stories behind the code.