Saber Interactive CCO says studio won’t change its comms strategy after AI writer controversy

The gaming world has been buzzing this week after Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch made comments suggesting he would have replaced a writer with AI. This sparked outrage and accusations, but now Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits is stepping up to defend the studio’s communication strategy and reaffirm their commitment to quality games.

Standing by the Approach

Despite the controversy surrounding CEO Matthew Karch’s remarks about potentially replacing a writer with AI, Saber Interactive CCO Tim Willits has confirmed that the company will not be altering its overall communications approach. This comes after widespread condemnation of Karch’s initial comments and a subsequent apology to Stella Sacco, the writer at the center of the Rideshare Stimulator AI controversy.

While CEO Karch has since apologized to Stella Sacco, his earlier statement that he “would […] have been happy to replace [a writer] with AI” ignited a firestorm. He also shared a statement acknowledging an “insightful week” but also noting the tendency of the digital landscape to amplify outrage and superficial opinions.

“Sometimes we ‘say what we mean’ too much,” Willits told PC Gamer, reflecting on the studio’s sometimes blunt communication style. When pressed directly by PC Gamer about whether the recent backlash had prompted any internal reflection, his response was a firm “no.”

Willits also pointed to past controversies, stating, “I’ve been in the industry for so long, and there’s always some dust up. People got mad at Saber because we put World War Z on Epic, and people were like, ‘oh, Saber’s destroying the industry’,” he added. “Now 30 million people have played World War Z. And the games will speak for themselves, even in our experiment with Rideshare [Stimulator].” He concluded by encouraging players to “check it out when it comes out” and form their own opinions.

“They may be like, ‘Oh, this is cool! I like this,’ you know. And if they don’t like it, fine,” he added. “We are going to stick to making the best games we can. Try to show them, give people an opportunity to play them, and have players make their own decisions because players are smart, you know. You make a good game, they’ll find it and play it.”

Future Projects and Confidence

In a separate interview with Eurogamer, Willits expressed remarkable confidence in Saber Interactive’s ability to secure any intellectual property. This suggests that the studio is poised for continued growth and expansion within the gaming industry.

Transparency on Rideshare Stimulator

The AI disclaimer has finally been added to Rideshare Stimulator’s Steam page, a move that was noticeably absent since the game first became available for wishlisting on July 30th. Initially, CEO Karch stated that the disclaimer would be implemented “once [the game was] finalized,” but the store listing has now been updated to include the AI disclosure.

What’s Next from Saber?

Saber Interactive currently has a robust pipeline of projects in development, including Turok Origins and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, both of which were showcased at Gamescom. The studio is also working on Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3, although updates on that ambitious project have been scarce since its initial announcement.