“We live in a world full of AI, let’s be honest with ourselves” – 1666: Amsterdam developer still using AI tools despite recent controversy
Panache Digital, the Canadian studio behind witchy action game 1666: Amsterdam, has confirmed it is still using AI tools in development, though "less and less", following a backlash earlier this year over generative AI use spotted in the game's playable prologue and marketing materials. Co-founder Patrice Désilets, best known for creating Assassin's Creed, addressed the issue at a press preview event, reiterating an apology and insisting AI-generated assets would not appear in the finished game, even as he acknowledged AI tools remain part of the studio's current workflow.
Désilets explained that some AI-generated assets slipped through the pipeline unnoticed two to three years ago while the small team was building the game, but said this would no longer happen. He described AI as useful for quickly generating variations of an asset that would otherwise require multiple illustrators, though he stressed the studio is relying on it less as production matures. Panache Digital, a roughly 70-person team, has been developing 1666: Amsterdam since 2020, with the story following a witch named Noa in 1666, a man named Aaron in 1999, and Aaron's descendant Clio in the present day.
In short
- Panache Digital admits it still uses AI tools, but less often
- Follows backlash over AI-generated art in the game's prologue
- Désilets says AI won't feature in the final release
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those defending the studio's continued use of AI argue that it is a practical development tool helping a small team of 70 people work efficiently, and that what ultimately matters is the quality of the finished product. The studio is being transparent, reducing its reliance on AI over time, and has committed to excluding all AI assets from the final game—which addresses the core concern about what players will actually experience. Demanding developers abandon useful tools entirely, rather than manage them responsibly, sets an unnecessarily strict standard.
The case against
Critics contend that the studio's ongoing reliance on AI, despite recent public backlash, suggests insufficient commitment to addressing community concerns. If AI-generated assets warranted an apology, then continuing to use AI throughout development sends a contradictory message about the studio's principles. Consumers have made clear they wish to support human creative work, and a developer's practices matter as much as the finished product to those who care about artistic integrity and the futures of human artists.
Explained simply
1666: Amsterdam is an action game being made by Panache Digital, a Canadian studio co-founded by Patrice Désilets, who helped create Assassin’s Creed. The game’s story moves between 1666, 1999 and the present day, following a witch named Noa, a man named Aaron and his descendant Clio.
The debate centres on generative AI, which can create images and other material from prompts. Game studios may use it to explore visual ideas quickly, but its use has raised questions about creative work and whether AI-made material should appear in finished games. Panache has said such material will not be in 1666: Amsterdam when it is released.
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