Stella Sacco, a former lead writer for Saber Interactive’s upcoming game Rideshare “Stimulator,” alleges she was replaced by ChatGPT during development, while the studio denies the claim and insists no writers were replaced with AI. The dispute centers on the game’s use of generative AI for passenger dialogues and the lack of disclosure on its Steam page.
Sacco’s Allegations: Replaced by AI, Denied by Saber
Sacco, who worked at Saber from July 2023 to July 2024, claims she was replaced by ChatGPT midway through Rideshare “Stimulator”’s development. I was lead writer on this one! And Saber replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development. All the passenger voices were AI too,
she wrote on Bluesky, citing a December 2023 social media post where she stated, I got replaced on one of my games at work. By ChatGPT.
Sacco’s allegations gained traction after a teaser trailer for Rideshare “Stimulator” surfaced, featuring AI-generated passenger dialogues. She argued that the studio’s decision to use AI was driven by a desire to great marketing,
despite her objections. My boss, to his credit, argued over and over with the c-level who pushed the AI—‘we already have Stella and she’s funny and she’s good at this…’ but the suit insisted ‘gamers love new tech,’
she said.
Saber CEO Matthew Karch denied the claim, stating, Neither Saber nor Unigine have replaced any writers with AI
for Rideshare “Stimulator” or any other game. He emphasized that the studio’s writer staff had tripled since 2023
and that the game’s story was written entirely by real people.
However, Sacco countered, They can say what they want—I was there, I even posted on Facebook about it at the time.
Steam Disclosure and Industry Tensions
The controversy intensified after Sacco highlighted that Rideshare “Stimulator”’s Steam page does not disclose the use of AI. Either they changed direction at some point or they’re not disclosing it on Steam,
she wrote. PC Gamer noted that the game’s Steam listing describes unique and unpredictable passenger stories
but lacks any mention of AI-generated content.
Valve, which operates Steam, requires developers to disclose AI use in game assets. Sacco’s claims echo similar concerns about transparency in AI integration, a growing issue as generative tools become more prevalent in game development.
Saber’s Defense: AI for Scale, Not Replacement
Saber defended its use of AI, stating that the “free-ride mode” in Rideshare “Stimulator” requires infinite passenger interactions, necessitating AI. We are firm believers in using AI tools to improve or enhance gameplay experiences… as we have done since Saber was founded in 2001,
Karch said. The studio also reiterated that none of our 3000+ employees have to worry about being replaced by AI.
What’s Next for AI in Gaming?
The dispute reflects broader tensions in the gaming industry over AI’s role.
For now, the conflict remains unresolved. Sacco has vowed to continue speaking out, while Saber maintains its stance. As Rideshare “Stimulator” approaches release, the industry will be watching closely to see how AI transparency and labor issues evolve.
Theverge reported Saber’s denial of writer replacement with AI, while PC Gamer detailed Sacco’s allegations and the Steam disclosure issue.
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