Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has defended the use of generative AI in the studio’s upcoming driving game, Rideshare Stimulator, after a public dispute with the project’s former lead writer.
In a statement to IGN, Karch said Saber would not be “shying away” from AI-powered features, including generated speech and text. He also said he would have been happy to replace a former employee with AI.
The controversy began after Stella Sacco, who described herself as the game’s former lead writer, responded to its reveal on Bluesky. She said she had been replaced by ChatGPT during development and that passenger voices in the game were also generated by AI.
Sacco also said Rideshare Stimulator did not appear to include Steam’s required AI disclosure at the time. The game’s Steam listing was expected to be updated once Saber had finalised the feature set.
What Saber says about the project
Saber and Unigine denied that writers had been replaced with AI on Rideshare Stimulator or any other game. The companies nevertheless confirmed that the title uses generative AI, including a previously undisclosed “free ride” mode involving an infinite number of passengers.
Sacco rejected the denial, saying that writing the game had been her responsibility until Karch decided that using ChatGPT would be beneficial publicity. She maintained that the change meant her role was effectively replaced by the technology.
“I was there, and it was my job to write the game, and then it wasn’t,” Sacco said.
In a later statement, Karch adopted a more confrontational tone. He said he had asked Claude who Sacco was, claimed she had been replaced by someone more talented and said she was later terminated for several reasons. He added that, in hindsight, he would have preferred replacing her with AI.
Sacco answered that Karch’s comments appeared to be an attempt to draw attention away from the game’s AI use. She said her claims were accurate and argued that the CEO’s response, combined with the technology’s use, could cause more damage to Saber’s reputation than to her own.
A wider pattern of controversial comments
This is not the first time Karch has attracted criticism for public remarks. He recently acknowledged taking a swipe at Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford in the announcement trailer for Rideshare Stimulator.
Karch later said that, without Embracer, Pitchford would be performing magic tricks at children’s birthday parties. Karch previously worked as chief operating officer at Embracer.
The CEO also appeared to comment on a YouTube video praising Saber’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. The video was made by Asmongold, a right-wing content creator who was banned from Twitch after saying Palestinians were part of an “inferior culture” while discussing Israeli military action that killed civilians in Gaza.
The comment, attributed to Karch, said he enjoyed the creator’s videos and hoped games such as Space Marine 2 and Black Myth: Wukong represented a return to games focused on fun and immersion. It also criticised games that attempted to impose messages or morals on players. The remarks were widely interpreted as an anti-woke position, particularly as the video attacked Dustborn, a game often criticised by right-wing commentators for its diverse cast.
Saber declined to confirm whether Karch had written the comment. Karch later posted on LinkedIn that whoever had written it seemed “pretty sharp”.
Why this matters for game development
For players, the dispute raises two separate questions: how generative AI is being used in a game, and whether that use is being clearly disclosed. Generated passenger dialogue may support a mode designed around an unlimited number of riders, but the studio’s explanations have arrived only after the former writer’s public allegations.
The episode also highlights how decisions about development tools can affect a studio’s reputation well beyond the game itself. Readers following the wider arcade and gaming news landscape can also explore RETROCADE’s arcade industry videos and learn how to choose an arcade machine for an Australian games room.
Leave a Reply