Saber Interactive has taken the step of adding an explicit artificial‑intelligence disclaimer to the Steam store page for its upcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, after a wave of controversy erupted over claims that the company had dismissed a writer working on the project in favor of machine‑generated text. The new notice is intended to clarify the studio’s current stance on AI usage and to address the public outcry that followed a series of statements from both the former employee and the company’s chief executive. The full 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." According to the notice, the company acknowledges that the situation surrounding Ms. Sacco’s departure has generated significant confusion and concern among fans, journalists, and industry observers.
In an effort to be transparent, Saber has outlined the timeline of events and the reasoning behind the decisions that were made. When pressed for details, Matt Karch explained that Ms. Sacco was "replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later," adding a surprising after‑thought: "In retrospect I would have been happy to replace her with AI." This comment, made during a recent interview with the podcast This Week In Videogames, sparked further debate because it seemed to suggest that the studio might have considered, or even preferred, an artificial‑intelligence solution over a human writer under certain circumstances.
During the same interview, Karch admitted that he had never actually spoken to or met Ms. Sacco in person. "Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her," he said, referencing Claude, an AI model that Saber reportedly uses for internal research.
He continued, "We have already said we are using AI for certain parts of the game and will update the Steam page once we have finalised the feature set." Karch framed the use of AI as a consumer benefit, especially given that Rideshare Simulator is positioned as a lower‑priced title. "We look at our use of AI in this particular game, which will be a lower priced title, as a plus for consumers," he asserted, implying that automation could help keep costs down while still delivering a polished experience. The controversy escalated when Ms.
Sacco posted on the social network 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." In a separate public statement posted to LinkedIn, Karch offered a more detailed explanation of his behavior. "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 series of statements from both parties highlights a broader industry conversation about the role of AI in creative development. As large language models become more capable of generating coherent prose, many studios are experimenting with AI‑assisted writing, localization, and even narrative design.
However, the transition raises ethical questions about authorship, credit, and the treatment of human staff who may feel displaced by technology. Critics argue that replacing a human writer with an AI model—especially without clear communication—undermines the collaborative nature of game development. They point out that while AI can produce grammatically correct sentences quickly, it lacks the lived experience, nuanced understanding of character motivation, and cultural sensitivity that a seasoned writer brings to a project. In the case of Rideshare Simulator, the alleged substitution of Ms.
Sacco’s work with ChatGPT has been cited as a concrete example of these tensions. Supporters of AI integration counter that the technology can serve as a tool rather than a replacement.
They suggest that AI can handle repetitive tasks such as generating placeholder text, creating variant dialogue lines for testing, or assisting with localization, freeing human writers to focus on higher‑level storytelling and world‑building. From this perspective, Saber’s decision to label the game as "AI‑enhanced" could be seen as a marketing advantage, signaling to budget‑conscious gamers that the studio is leveraging cutting‑edge tools to keep the price low without sacrificing quality. The situation also underscores the importance of clear internal policies and communication strategies when adopting AI. Companies that fail to articulate how AI will be used, who will be responsible for oversight, and how credit will be allocated risk damaging their reputation and alienating both employees and the community.
Saber Interactive’s recent disclaimer appears to be an attempt to rectify a lapse in transparency, but the effectiveness of the apology will likely be judged by the actions the studio takes moving forward. In the weeks ahead, observers will be watching to see whether Saber updates the Steam page with a more detailed breakdown of AI features, whether Ms.
Sacco’s concerns are addressed through concrete restitution, and how the broader gaming community reacts to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in narrative creation. The episode serves as a cautionary tale for any developer navigating the delicate balance between technological innovation and the human talent that has traditionally driven the medium. Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Rideshare Simulator illustrates a pivotal moment in the industry: as AI becomes an increasingly common part of the development toolkit, studios must grapple with questions of fairness, accountability, and artistic integrity.
How Saber Interactive chooses to move forward—whether by strengthening its AI policy, offering clearer credit to human contributors, or simply listening more attentively to feedback—will shape not only the perception of this particular title but also set a precedent for how future games incorporate artificial intelligence into their creative pipelines.