Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has apologised to Stella Sacco, the writer at the centre of the Rideshare Stimulator AI controversy, after publicly saying he’d have been “happy to replace her with AI”.
Sacco shared the news in a statement sent to Eurogamer and posted on her Bluesky account, saying “to [her] great surprise”, she’d received “a long email” from Karch overnight in which he “apologised unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press”.
Though Sacco hasn’t shared the email itself, the writer said: “The email’s full text will stay between us; I’m not that kind of girl. But I have confirmed it was from him”.
According to Sacco, Karch said he regretted “escalating” the row and how people online had subsequently spoken about her.
— Stella Sacco (@antlervel.vet) August 15, 2026 at 6:38 PM
She was careful to draw a line, though, between accepting the apology and being swayed by it: “I’m not worried about being called slurs by random commenters – I’m a trans woman, that’s every day for me – but it stunk to have my skill and reputation built of 20 years in games publicly maligned by someone with institutional power.”
Sacco also pushed back on the suggestion – one she said Karch had helped fuel – that going public with this dispute means she “must love drama or be hard to work with,” pointing out that bad treatment is common across the games industry and she’s simply more willing than most to call it out.
She reiterated that she’d stood by her account from the start, and said Karch’s apology doesn’t change her stance on the use of AI in games – “Matt and I obviously differ on this, and as a CEO the consequences of its use fall on him, and unfortunately also on his employees.”
Still, she said she was accepting the apology. “Apologies are simply in too short a supply these days to spurn one when it’s offered,” she wrote, adding: “God willing, this is the last statement I’ll need to make about this.”
Karch also reflected on his behaviour on LinkedIn. His full post reads as follows:
I’ve had an insightful week reflecting on the unwritten rules and expectations placed on modern CEOs. Navigating public scrutiny, media narratives, and industry shifts comes with the territory, but it also offers a few valuable lessons:
Public reactions are rarely symmetrical. As a CEO, you aren’t afforded the luxury of responding in kind, even when you feel wronged. Anything beyond a measured statement invites further drama and tags you as the aggressor. For many, true leadership often means foregoing the natural human urge to debate, to criticise, or to speak from the heart, choosing silence or composure instead. I always felt silence was worse, but apparently it keeps the talking heads from talking.
Media relationships have boundaries. Journalists and commentators have a job to do, and driving engagement will always take priority over personal rapport. It is a professional dynamic, not a personal friendship, and should be treated as such.
Consider the source of online commentary. The digital ecosystem thrives on outrage and surface-level takes. Case in point: a 26-minute video essay from a well-known writer of some classic games who dedicated it entirely to analysing a single sarcastic quote of mine, pretending he knew exactly who I am – which somehow concluded with personal remarks about my physical anatomy and encouragement to accost me. When “industry analysis” devolves into personal insults and threats, it says far more about the creator than it does about the subject. Relying on outrage algorithms for industry insights is a trap.
Resolve issues human-to-human. Escalating disputes through media channels or public statements rarely solves anything. Real resolution happens through direct, personal connection. If you cross a line, own it directly with the person involved.
Stand firm on technology and innovation. Emerging tech like AI will always provoke strong reactions. While industry shifts are uncomfortable, hiding from them isn’t an option. Our focus should remain on leveraging new tools to create better experiences and thoughtfully adapting our workforce for the future, regardless of the noise.
Accept the standard of the role. Leaders are often viewed as figureheads rather than individuals, and the standard applied is fundamentally different. If direct, candid conversation isn’t possible in the public eye without heavy PR filtration, then strategic restraint is the best path forward.
Leadership isn’t about pleasing everyone – it’s about staying focused on the long-term vision, learning from friction, and keeping your eye on the work that actually matters.
For some like me, fighting my urges is one of the hardest things I have to deal with. 25 years on I still feel like I am running a small company of my closest friends. There is a reason that there are different CEO’s for different size businesses and its important to know what kind of CEO you are. Either you learn the lessons and adapt or you move into the Chairman role).
