Saber Interactive Refutes Ex-Writer’s Allegations of GenAI Replacement in Upcoming Rideshare Game

Last month, Saber Interactive unveiled Rideshare Stimulator, a game that feels like a modern twist on Crazy Taxi, filtered through a lens of bleak late-stage capitalism. The announcement was noteworthy not just for the game itself but also for a subtle jab at Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford. However, the buzz around the game has shifted to a more serious issue: former Saber Interactive writer Stella Sacco claims she was working on the game before being replaced by ChatGPT.

“I was the lead writer on this one! And Saber replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development,” Sacco shared on Bluesky.

This isn’t the first time Sacco has discussed her experiences with generative AI during her tenure at Saber. Back in December, she mentioned being “replaced” by ChatGPT on another unnamed project. Sacco also indicated that the decision to incorporate generative AI into Rideshare came from Saber, the publisher, rather than the developer, UNIGINE. In response, Saber Interactive’s PR team denied her claims, stating, “Neither Saber nor Unigine have replaced any writers with AI for Rideshare or any other game. Rideshare’s story was written entirely by real people.”

However, Saber’s denial included a note about how Rideshare utilizes generative AI to manage the game’s “infinite” number of NPC passengers. “The game will also feature an experimental, free-ride mode that by necessity incorporates AI as the number of passengers in the game is infinite,” Saber explained. “We are firm believers in using AI tools to improve or enhance gameplay experiences and improve NPC behavior.”

This admission suggests that Rideshare does indeed use generative AI for NPC dialogue and interactions. This is evident from the trailer, where the passenger dialogue and mouth movements appeared noticeably out of sync, reminiscent of graphics from PS2-era games.

In her response on Bluesky, Sacco addressed Saber’s statement: “Saber PR responded to my post by saying that the story was written by people and no writers were replaced, buuuuut also that the game uses AI-generated text and voices. C’mon man lmao.”