Saber's Newest Game Trailer Takes a Shot at Gearbox's Boss

The recent debut trailer for Saber Interactive’s upcoming title, Rideshare Stimulator, contains a deliberate, subtle jab at Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford. The reference appears 63 seconds into the trailer on a Texas license plate reading "USB DRV," accompanied by a cog wheel symbol—a direct allusion to Gearbox’s corporate logo and a past controversy involving a USB drive associated with Pitchford.

Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch confirmed that the inclusion of the license plate was an act of retaliation. The animosity stems from perceived slights made by Pitchford toward Embracer Group, the former parent company of both Saber and Gearbox. Karch, who remains a vocal defender of Embracer’s management, characterized the reference as a response to negative depictions of the parent company within Gearbox’s Borderlands 4, specifically citing a location in the game titled "Embracer’s Bluff."

The conflict highlights the strained professional relationships resulting from the rapid expansion and subsequent restructuring of the Embracer Group. Following a period of aggressive acquisitions, Embracer divested both studios in 2024, with Saber being sold to an investment entity controlled by Karch and Gearbox being acquired by Take-Two Interactive. While Gearbox has alluded to the "cultural and emotional shift" of trading studio autonomy for corporate organization, Karch maintains that the criticism directed at their former parent company is ungrateful, leading to this public manifestation of industry friction.