Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, stepped in to comment on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s response to allegations that a company writer had been replaced by an artificial‑intelligence system. The dispute began when former lead writer Stella Sacco publicly asserted in August that she had been heading the narrative work on Saber’s forthcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, only to be "replaced by ChatGPT halfway through development." In a sharply worded reply, Karch dismissed the claim, stating, "Stella who?
I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her… As far as Stella is concerned, she was replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later." Sacco pushed back with her own statement, insisting that her original remarks were accurate and labeling Karch’s retort as "remarkably pathetic for the CEO of any company to be making." When GamesIndustry.biz approached Willits at Gamescom for his perspective on the public exchange, he framed the CEO’s comments as simple sarcasm. "That's just Matt's sarcasm, that's all," Willits said, before moving on to the core issue. According to Willits, the company has never actually swapped a human employee for an AI system, a claim he described as "crazy" given the current state of the industry.
He emphasized that none of Saber’s flagship titles—Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman, and the rest—rely on generative AI for narrative creation. "We don’t use generative AI in Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman, or any of our other games," he affirmed. "But we are experimenting with it because we’re still figuring out where it might add real value, where players will appreciate it, and how it can be integrated effectively." Willits clarified that the experimental work is limited to the upcoming Rideshare Simulator, where an "AI mode" is being trialed.
He stressed that the main campaign, its characters, and the dialogue were all crafted by human writers. Even the side missions, which often serve as supplemental storytelling, were written by people, not machines. The official Steam page for Rideshare Simulator backs up this claim, noting that the primary story, characters, and dialogue are authored by a human team, while AI tools are employed only for voice generation and certain localization tasks.
The Steam description also mentions an optional "Free Ride" mode that includes AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, and it notes that the in‑game radio stations feature a blend of human‑produced and AI‑generated music. Willits pointed out that Saber does not incorporate generative AI into core production pipelines such as code development, environment design, or texture creation. Looking ahead, Willits speculated that the industry may eventually witness a breakthrough where a developer discovers a truly compelling use case for advanced AI that resonates with both creators and players. He likened this potential moment to historical technological milestones, where early skepticism gives way to widespread adoption once a clear, practical application emerges.
"When they first come out, people are like, 'What are we going to do with this technology? How's it going to work?' And then we all discover that it'll fit into everyday life," he said.
Willits expressed optimism that the next Gamescom could showcase larger titles that deliberately center AI features, indicating that Saber plans to continue its experimental approach. He is eager to see how AI integration will be received in the Rideshare Simulator and how it might evolve in future projects. "It will be interesting to see where it goes.
I bet at next year's Gamescom we'll have some bigger games that actually focus on it. I'm curious to see how it plays out for us, how people will like it, and how it's integrated. It's a great experiment," he concluded.
In summary, while Saber Interactive is testing AI in limited, ancillary capacities—such as voice synthesis, localization, and optional mission generation—the core storytelling and creative work remains firmly in human hands. The company’s leadership, particularly Willits, maintains that no employee has been replaced by an AI system, and any claims to the contrary are either misunderstandings or deliberate provocations.
The ongoing dialogue around AI’s role in game development continues to evolve, and Saber appears poised to monitor the technology’s maturation before committing to deeper integration.