Saber Interactive CEO Fires Back in AI Row Over Rideshare Stimulator Writer Dispute

Saber Interactive’s dispute with its former lead writer, Stella Sacco, has escalated into a public back-and-forth that’s now centered as much on how the company describes its use of AI as on the personnel fallout. After early denials about any ChatGPT replacement claims for its upcoming Rideshare “Stimulator,” the studio acknowledged some undisclosed AI usage and then had its CEO respond with unusually combative remarks—while Sacco fired back that his anger suggests he didn’t want players to learn about the technology.

Release timing and platforms for Rideshare “Stimulator”

The controversy began after claims that Saber Interactive had replaced Sacco using ChatGPT for Rideshare “Stimulator.” The studio initially issued statements denying that it swapped Sacco out for an AI tool, but in the same communication it conceded that it had used AI in some capacity without previously disclosing it.

CEO Matthew Karch then elaborated in an interview, and his tone was far sharper than a typical corporate clarification. He said he had never spoken with Sacco and claimed he had “had to ask” about her, adding that he does not appear to have had a direct relationship with her. Karch also discussed how Saber would handle crediting narrative work if the game wins a prize, stating that the full scenario award would go to someone who can physically accept it on stage—framing it as a human deliverable rather than an AI-produced script.

In Karch’s account, Saber had intended to signal AI usage on Steam after “finalizing” the relevant features, but Sacco allegedly broke a confidentiality clause by revealing the information before the company was ready. Karch further argued that using AI in this specific title—describing it as a lower-priced game—should be seen as a consumer benefit.

Karch’s remarks and the “replacement” allegation

Beyond responding to the AI disclosure issue, Karch also made personal claims about Sacco’s employment status. He said she was later replaced by someone he described as “more talented,” and that she was let go months afterward for various reasons. He went on to suggest that, in hindsight, he would have preferred replacing Sacco with an AI instead, claiming that it would have meant dealing with something “programmed to be honest.”

Sacco responded publicly to those comments, arguing that Karch’s reaction reads as an attempt to stop people from finding out about AI use in the game. She described his statement as “pathetic” for any company leader and said it would likely harm Saber’s reputation more than anything she could have said herself, adding that the CEO’s rant may become many people’s first exposure to Saber as a brand.

What Saber says it used AI for in Rideshare “Stimulator”

Separate from the argument over personnel, the dispute also appears to be tied to how AI is represented on storefronts. The “Artificial Intelligence” tag was eventually added to Rideshare “Stimulator” on Steam, and Karch provided additional technical context when asked about the company’s approach.

He said the game’s dialogues are generated offline from prompts written by Saber’s scenario writers, with prompts checked to ensure they follow safeguards. According to Karch, those prompts are designed to cover a wide range of topics, including current events. He also claimed that the dialogues are then provided to players and triggered only once per player, and that players are not allowed to generate their own dialogue using prompts.

For narrative authorship, Karch said humans wrote the story in full, while also adding a pointed remark that—based on what his team reported—the claim “might not apply” to Sacco. This blends the company’s technical explanation with the ongoing personal confrontation.

Rideshare “Stimulator” is currently scheduled to be released this year on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The public dispute is still unfolding, but the immediate flashpoint is clear: not only whether AI was used, but whether Saber’s disclosure timing and internal handling were transparent enough for players to judge what they’re playing.