Saber’s AI Rideshare Stimulator controversy almost closes on high note with CEO apology, then he calls Portal scribe who mocked him an ‘unsuccessful writer’
Saber Interactive faced significant backlash over its handling of generative AI use in Rideshare Stimulator. The controversy began when former developer Stella Sacco posted on Bluesky on August 11 that she had been laid off and replaced with ChatGPT midway through development. The game had been announced in July without any disclosure of AI involvement.
CEO Matthew Karch initially responded poorly, providing a scathing comment in which he insulted Sacco and stated he would have “in retrospect have been happy to replace her with AI.” However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Karch sent Sacco a private apology message, appearing to signal a resolution to the conflict.
Yet the redemptive moment was quickly undermined when Karch publicly targeted Portal writer Chet Faliszek, who had publicly criticized Karch’s actions in a 26-minute YouTube video, calling him an “unsuccessful writer.” Amid the ongoing controversy, Saber Interactive eventually added a detailed AI disclosure to the game’s Steam page.