Saber Interactive’s New Taxi Game Is Beefing With Randy Pitchford

Saber Interactive has embedded subtle jabs at Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford in the trailer for its upcoming game Rideshare Stimulator, a taxi/rideshare simulation title. The digs were confirmed by Saber CEO Matt Karch as intentional payback for previous shots taken at Embracer, the former parent company of both studios.

The trailer contains several references mocking Pitchford, including a license plate reading “USB DRV”—an allusion to the infamous 2015 incident when Pitchford lost a USB drive containing adult content. Additional jabs reference Texas, where Gearbox is based, with the narrator mentioning “the randiest of passengers” (playing on Pitchford’s first name) and a “castle” in town. Karch also stated that without Embracer’s support, “Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living,” referencing Pitchford’s well-known passion for stage magic.

This exchange stems from earlier industry drama: Borderlands 4 included a location called “Embracer’s Bluff,” which was itself a dig at Embracer. Karch framed Saber’s response as retaliation for those “shots at Embracer” in the Gearbox game. Both studios have a shared history with Embracer, where Karch previously served on the board of directors before the company’s organizational restructuring.

The public exchange highlights ongoing tensions between executives at the two studios, with the pointed references in Rideshare Stimulator’s promotional material serving as the latest salvo in what appears to be escalating industry banter.

Saber Interactive’s New Taxi Game Is Beefing With Randy Pitchford

Sources