[Patrice Désilets, the visionary behind 1666: Amsterdam, has announced a complete departure from generative AI after its use sparked controversy. While initially used for concepting and pre-production, the developer now vows to exclude AI entirely.]
The Summer Game Fest reveal of 1666: Amsterdam, the highly anticipated project from co-creator Patrice Désilets, was met with excitement. However, that enthusiasm quickly turned to dismay as players discovered in-game assets bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of generative AI within the playable prologue released alongside the announcement.
A Change of Heart on AI
Panache Digital Games initially apologized for the use of AI in certain assets and promised to remove them before the early access launch. Now, Désilets has gone further, stating that Panache has completely decoupled AI from its development pipeline and will not be using it in future projects.
“Yes, we used some AI in the process, mostly at the beginning,” Désilets explained. “In conception and pre-production. It’s been totally removed, and we won’t be using any AI anymore.”
While I appreciate that Panache has taken steps to remove generative AI from 1666: Amsterdam, it’s frustrating when developers claim to have only used AI in the concepting phase. That initial stage is where the most creative freedom and imaginative work happens – handing that over to an algorithm feels like a betrayal of the artistic process.
This also raises a philosophical question: can a game truly be considered free of generative AI if it was used, even minimally, in its conception?
Early Access Reception
1666: Amsterdam is now available in early access, and the game currently lacks an AI disclosure. Player reception has been mixed, with praise for the immersive setting and exploration elements juxtaposed against criticisms of clunky combat and a general lack of polish.
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