Saber Interactive is facing questions about its upcoming Rideshare Simulator after former lead writer Stella Sacco said ChatGPT replaced her partway through development. Sacco also alleged that AI generated every passenger voice, while the game’s Steam store page carries no disclosure about generative AI.
Saber and developer Unigine announced the driving game through a trailer released on July 30. On August 11, Sacco responded in a Bluesky post, writing, “I was lead writer on this one! And Saber replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development,” before adding, “All the passenger voices were AI too.”
I didn’t even see this had been announced. I was lead writer on this one! And Saber replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development. All the passenger voices were AI too. Either they changed direction at some point or they’re not disclosing it on Steam
Sacco’s career history lists her time at Saber from July 2023 through July 2024, with the role described as “lead writer for STUNTMAN HOLLYWOOD and other games across Saber’s portfolio.” That background supports her connection to the project, but the post does not independently establish how much AI-generated material made it into the final game.
In follow-up posts, Sacco said senior Saber leadership made the decision and that planned live-update text was also affected. She also pointed to a December 2023 message in which she wrote that she had been replaced on one of her games by ChatGPT. Sacco alleged that her boss repeatedly objected to bringing AI into the project, while an executive argued that players would respond positively to the technology and that its use could benefit the game’s marketing. She made clear that she did not blame Unigine.
Rideshare Simulator puts writing and voices at the center
The upcoming title combines a driving simulation with a rideshare-management layer. Players plan routes through a city, talk with passengers, follow traffic rules, and try to earn strong driver ratings while completing timed drop-offs. Passenger stories are a major part of the pitch, ranging from funny encounters to stranger conversations.
Saber’s official Rideshare page presents the same basic setup, with city driving and unusual passengers forming the core of the experience.
The July 30 trailer introduced the project:
Saber denies replacing writers, confirms AI free-ride mode
In a statement to PC Gamer, Saber said, “Neither Saber nor Unigine have replaced any writers with AI for Rideshare or any other game.” The studio added that its writing staff has tripled since 2023 and that Rideshare‘s story was written entirely by people.
Saber did confirm that an experimental free-ride mode will use AI for passenger dialogue and behavior. The company said the feature needs AI because the game must account for an infinite number of possible passengers. Saber also said it has used AI tools to improve gameplay and NPC behavior since 2001, while stating that none of its more than 3,000 employees is being replaced by AI.
Why the missing Steam notice matters
Valve’s Steamworks rules call for developers to disclose when generative AI contributes to player-facing material in a shipped game, including areas such as artwork, audio, writing, and localization. The Steam page for Rideshare Simulator does not show that type of notice.
Saber’s confirmation of AI in the experimental mode narrows, but does not settle, the question raised by Sacco. The statement does not explain exactly how passenger dialogue will be generated, how much of it will receive human review, or whether the AI system is already represented in the build shown to players. The studio denies that AI replaced the game’s authored story, while Sacco maintains that she was removed from the project to make room for ChatGPT.
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