Saber Interactive has recently updated the Steam store listing for its title Rideshare Simulator to include a clear disclaimer about the use of artificial intelligence in the game's development. The move comes after a heated dispute erupted over claims that the studio had dismissed a writer working on the project and substituted her contributions with content generated by AI tools.
The new notice aims to provide transparency for players and to address the concerns raised by the community and the media. The full disclaimer reads as follows: "This update follows recent statements made by Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch concerning former writer Stella Sacco, who was employed by the company from July 2023 until July 2024. Ms. Sacco alleges that she was removed from the Rideshare Simulator project midway through its production and that her responsibilities were subsequently filled by ChatGPT, alongside other undisclosed applications of AI throughout the game's creation." In a series of interviews and social‑media posts, Karch offered his side of the story.
He explained that Sacco "was replaced by someone he considered more talented and was terminated a few months later for a range of reasons," adding that, in hindsight, he "would have been comfortable replacing her with AI if the circumstances had called for it." The CEO also emphasized that the studio had already been open about employing AI for certain aspects of the game and promised to update the Steam page once the final feature set was locked down. During an episode of the podcast "This Week In Videogames," Karch made a somewhat flippant comment, saying, "Stella who?
I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or even seen her," referring to the AI model Claude. He continued, "We have already disclosed that we are using AI for specific parts of the game and will amend the Steam page when we have finalized the feature set. We view our use of AI in this lower‑priced title as a benefit for consumers." The controversy took a new turn when Sacco posted on the social networking platform BlueSky over the weekend.
In her message, she wrote that Karch had "apologised unreservedly for the terrible way he spoke about me in the press." She added, "I have been firm from the beginning that I was telling the truth; I think we can all now agree that it has been borne out. Matt expressed a desire to make it right with me; at this point I don’t really know what that looks like for me, and I’ll need some time to process it, but I do at least accept his apology." Karch also issued a separate public statement on LinkedIn, acknowledging his own emotional reaction. He wrote, "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. It happens and I am a human being.
I have done what I can to rectify the situation." The incident highlights a broader industry debate about the role of AI in creative processes. As game development tools become more sophisticated, studios are increasingly turning to machine‑learning models for tasks ranging from procedural content generation to writing dialogue and marketing copy. Proponents argue that AI can accelerate production, reduce costs, and enable smaller teams to deliver richer experiences.
Critics, however, warn that reliance on AI may undermine the value of human creativity, lead to job displacement, and raise ethical questions about authorship and transparency. In the case of Rideshare Simulator, the AI tools mentioned include ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI, and Claude, an alternative conversational AI. Both platforms are capable of generating coherent text based on prompts, which can be useful for drafting in‑game descriptions, help menus, or even narrative snippets. Saber Interactive appears to have employed these technologies for certain non‑core elements of the game, positioning the approach as a consumer benefit for a title priced lower than flagship releases.
The public reaction has been mixed. Some members of the gaming community appreciate the studio's willingness to be upfront about AI usage, seeing it as a step toward greater honesty in an industry that has sometimes been opaque about its development pipelines. Others remain skeptical, questioning whether the disclaimer fully captures the extent of AI involvement, especially given the allegations that a human writer was removed in favor of automated content. From a legal perspective, there are currently few explicit regulations governing AI‑generated content in video games, though consumer protection laws in some jurisdictions could be invoked if a product is marketed as being created primarily by human authors while relying heavily on machine‑generated material.
Companies are therefore navigating a gray area, balancing the desire to innovate with the need to maintain trust. Looking ahead, Saber Interactive has indicated that it will continue to monitor the situation and refine its communication strategy. The updated Steam page now includes a dedicated section outlining where AI was used, the specific tools employed, and the rationale behind those choices. The studio also promised to engage with players through community forums and social media to answer any further questions.
In summary, the controversy surrounding Rideshare Simulator serves as a microcosm of the evolving relationship between human creators and artificial intelligence in the gaming sector. While Saber Interactive has taken steps to clarify its practices and its CEO has issued an apology for the tone of his earlier remarks, the episode underscores the importance of clear, honest dialogue about AI's role in creative work.
As the technology continues to advance, both developers and audiences will need to adapt to new norms around authorship, credit, and the ethical use of machine‑generated content.