Saber Interactive has taken the step of attaching an artificial‑intelligence disclaimer to the Steam store page for its upcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, after a heated dispute erupted over claims that the company had dismissed a writer in favor of AI‑generated text. The notice, which now appears prominently on the game’s storefront, is intended to clarify the studio’s use of AI tools during development and to address the controversy that erupted online and in industry media. The full wording of the disclaimer reads as follows: "This update follows comments from Saber CEO Matt Karch regarding writer Stella Sacco, who was employed by Saber from July 2023 to July 2024.
Ms. Sacco alleges that she was removed from the Rideshare project midway through its development cycle and that her responsibilities were subsequently filled by ChatGPT, along with other undisclosed AI applications throughout the game's creation.
In response, Mr. Karch has stated that Ms. Sacco was replaced by a more skilled individual and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later, and that, in hindsight, he would have been comfortable substituting her work with AI." The controversy began when former staff member Stella Sacco publicly claimed on the social platform BlueSky that she had been let go from the Rideshare Simulator team and that her writing duties were taken over by a language model.
Sacco’s post also suggested that the studio had employed additional AI‑driven processes that had not been disclosed to the public or to the development team. Her allegations quickly spread across gaming forums, prompting a wave of criticism from both fans and industry observers who were concerned about the ethical implications of replacing human creatives with machine‑generated content. Matt Karch, the chief executive of Saber Interactive, responded to the accusations 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 studio had already been transparent about employing AI for certain aspects of the game and that a formal update to the Steam page would be issued once the feature list was finalized. Karch framed the use of AI as a consumer benefit, noting that Rideshare Simulator would be a lower‑priced title and that AI integration could help keep costs down while delivering a polished experience.
The CEO’s comments were met with a mixture of skepticism and outrage. Critics argued that Karch’s dismissal of Sacco’s presence—suggesting he needed to consult an AI model named Claude to verify a former employee’s identity—was flippant and dismissive. Others pointed out that the timing of the AI disclaimer, appearing only after the public outcry, raised questions about the studio’s initial transparency regarding its development practices. In a follow‑up post on BlueSky over the weekend, Sacco wrote that Karch had "apologised unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press." She added, "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 statement on LinkedIn, acknowledging his own emotional reaction to the unfolding situation. 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 incident shines a spotlight on the broader debate within the video‑game industry about the role of artificial intelligence in creative workflows.
While AI tools can accelerate tasks such as localization, procedural content generation, and even narrative drafting, many creators fear that reliance on these systems could marginalize human talent, especially writers, artists, and designers who bring nuanced storytelling and cultural context to a project. Industry analysts note that the use of AI in game development is growing, but best practices for disclosure and ethical implementation remain unsettled. Some studios have begun publishing detailed AI usage reports alongside their games, outlining which parts of the production pipeline were augmented by machine learning models. Others, however, continue to keep such information internal, citing competitive advantage or concerns about public perception.
In Saber Interactive’s case, the addition of the AI disclaimer may serve as a damage‑control measure, but it also sets a precedent for other developers who might face similar scrutiny. By publicly acknowledging the presence of AI, the studio opens a dialogue about transparency, compensation, and the future of creative labor in an increasingly automated environment. The fallout from the controversy has also prompted discussions about employee rights and the legal ramifications of replacing staff with AI. Labor advocates argue that companies should provide clear contracts and severance packages when AI replaces a human role, while legal scholars debate whether existing employment law adequately addresses AI‑driven terminations.
As of now, Saber Interactive has not announced any concrete steps beyond the Steam disclaimer and Karch’s public apology. The company says it will continue to monitor community feedback and will consider further measures to ensure that its AI practices are both ethical and clearly communicated.
The episode serves as a cautionary tale for studios navigating the delicate balance between technological innovation and respect for the human creators who have traditionally driven game narratives. It underscores the importance of transparent communication, especially when new tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or other large language models become integral to the development process. For gamers and industry watchers alike, the saga of Rideshare Simulator offers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of game creation—one where the line between human imagination and algorithmic assistance is increasingly blurred, and where accountability and honesty will likely become as valuable as the code and art that bring virtual worlds to life.