1666: Amsterdam Is Done Using AI After Pre-Production, Says Patrice Désilets
Patrice Désilets said AI was used during conception and pre-production, then removed before 1666: Amsterdam entered Steam Early Access on August 25 at an introductory price of $24.29.
The AI controversy around 1666: Amsterdam now has a direct clarification from Assassin’s Creed creator Patrice Désilets. He said Panache Digital Games used AI during the project’s conception and pre-production, then removed it before players could get their hands on the game.
The studio had already promised to remove AI before the game became playable, but criticism continued after reports raised questions about how deeply the technology had been used. Speaking at Gamescom 2026, Désilets addressed the issue in a GamesRadar+ interview.
“Yes, I was a bit [thrown] by those reports,” Désilets said. “Yes, we use some AI in the process, mostly at the beginning,” he continued. He explained that the work took place during conception and pre-production.
His follow-up was clear. “It’s been totally removed, and we won’t be using any AI anymore.” That places the current Early Access build outside the AI-assisted work he described, with no further AI use planned for the game’s development.
The game itself has a wonderfully strange premise. 1666: Amsterdam follows Noa, a demon hunter who uses sorcery, and includes a playable cat companion who is actually a man from 1999 after being tricked into doing sex magic. It is a far cry from another straightforward sword-and-gun adventure, which helps explain why the project attracted attention in the first place.
1666: Amsterdam entered Steam Early Access on August 25 at an introductory price of $24.29. The public rollout followed the game’s appearance during Summer Game Fest and the release of its prologue during the summer, while the AI disclosure drew attention away from the project itself.
The public rollout also included an extended trailer from IGN Live 2026.
With 1666: Amsterdam now in Early Access, the studio’s decision will remain part of the game’s ongoing development story. Désilets’ latest comments draw a firm line around the game’s use of generative tools, limiting them to the earliest stages of development rather than the playable experience.
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1666: Amsterdam
Developed by Panache Digital Games
