Updated

Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Aug 13

Saber CEO Says Writer Breached NDA, Defends AI Use in $0-Disclosure Rideshare Game

Updated

Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Aug 13

Saber CEO Says Writer Breached NDA, Defends AI Use in $0-Disclosure Rideshare Game

Q: Will Valve ban this controversial game from Steam for hiding its true AI origins from unsuspecting players?

Probably not—at least not based on what is public so far. Valve’s current Steam approach to generative AI is centered on disclosure, not a blanket ban. Developers are expected to state where and how AI is used, and the reporting around Rideshare “Stimulator” says its Steam page does not yet clearly include that disclosure even though Saber has now admitted AI is used in parts of the game, especially the experimental free-ride mode with effectively unlimited passengers. That creates a compliance problem for Saber, but the likelier outcome is pressure to amend the Steam listing rather than immediate removal. Saber CEO Matt Karch has already said the Steam page will be updated once the game’s feature set is finalized, which suggests the company may try to cure the issue before launch. If Valve determines the page is misleading or incomplete, it could require corrections, delay approval, or otherwise intervene in the store process. A ban would be more likely only if Valve concluded that Saber knowingly misrepresented AI use and then refused to comply with Steam’s rules. Right now, the key facts are disputed: Sacco says AI replaced her writing work and voices, while Saber says the main story was written by humans and AI is limited to certain systems and modes. Without a formal Valve finding, there is no clear sign of an imminent ban. So the real risk to the game at this stage is reputational damage and possible Steam disclosure enforcement, not automatic delisting.

3 articles · Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Aug 13

Matt Karch said Stella Sacco was not replaced by ChatGPT but was removed after breaching a confidentiality clause and later terminated, while saying Saber uses AI for certain parts of Rideshare Simulator.
Saber still has no AI disclosure on the game's Steam page, though Karch said it will be updated once the feature set is finalized and framed the experimental AI mode as a consumer benefit in a lower-priced title.
Stella Sacco answered on social media that Karch was lashing out because he did not want AI use in the game exposed, and said his remarks would damage Saber's reputation more than hers.
The dispute follows Saber's August 12 denial that any writers were replaced by AI, even as the studio acknowledged an AI-driven free-ride mode and said its writing staff has tripled since 2023.