1666: Amsterdam

1666: Amsterdam
Developer	Panache Digital Games
Publisher	Panache Digital Games
Director	Patrice Désilets
Engine	Unreal Engine 5
Platform	Windows
Release	August 25, 2026 (early access)
Genre	Action-adventure game
Mode	Single-player

1666: Amsterdam is an upcoming action-adventure game developed and published by Panache Digital Games. Directed by Patrice Désilets, creator of the Assassin's Creed series, the game is set in a supernatural version of 17th-century Amsterdam. Originally developed at THQ Montreal, the project was suspended in 2013 before being revived after Désilets regained the rights to the intellectual property.^[1][2] Officially revealed at Summer Game Fest in June 2026,^[3] it entered early access on 25 August 2026, with a full release date yet to be announced.

1666: Amsterdam is a third-person action-adventure game featuring exploration, investigation, environmental puzzles, dialogue choices and supernatural abilities. Players explore haunted locations throughout Amsterdam, with decisions affecting character relationships and story progression. Combat combines melee attacks and magic.^[4]

The protagonist, Noa Brooklyn, uses a broomstick and spells such as petrification and levitation in combat. She can also use environmental objects against enemies or intimidate them into fleeing. The magic system uses Lux for environmental abilities and the rarer Nux for combat, while her familiar, Aaron, can convert between the two and restore Nux through successful quick time events.^[5] Aaron can also enter small spaces, climb surfaces, open doors and influence non-player characters to access restricted areas. A suspicion meter tracks Noa's exposure as a witch and can alert witch hunters to her identity.^[6]

Exploration involves entering buildings to discover clues, power-ups and puzzles. Coffers hidden throughout the city by Noa's coven provide a choice of three abilities. Hunts for supernatural beings known as Originals occur during a full moon called an Esbat and incorporate roguelite mechanics. Dying during an Esbat resets the night and removes abilities collected from coffers, while completing the hunt allows players to retain them. Noa can also use her safehouse to recover, lower suspicion and craft potions.^[7]

Set primarily in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age in 1666, the story follows Noa Brooklyn, a young apprentice apothecary and secret member of the Zaindaris coven. During her initiation in December 1665, she becomes a Collector and chooses a black cat as her familiar. Noa uses witchcraft to investigate demonic entities disguised as humans, hunting supernatural beings known as the Originals.^[8][9]

The narrative spans three periods: 1666, 1999 and the present day.^[10] In December 1999, university professor Aaron becomes involved in an occult ritual in Amsterdam that transports his consciousness back in time into the body of Noa's cat familiar. In the present day, Aaron's daughter Clio investigates documents connected to Noa, uncovering links between her father, the witch and events across the three periods.^[11][12]

According to Patrice Désilets, he conceived the idea for 1666: Amsterdam during a visit to Amsterdam in 2011.^[13] The project was developed at THQ Montreal, where Désilets worked until the studio was acquired by Ubisoft following THQ's bankruptcy in 2013. Ubisoft subsequently dismissed Désilets and suspended development of the game while retaining its intellectual property rights.^[14][15]

Following a legal dispute with Ubisoft, Désilets regained the rights to 1666: Amsterdam in 2016.^[16] That year, he publicly presented early prototype footage of the game.^[17] Development later resumed at Panache Digital Games following the release of Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey in 2019.^[18]

During an event in Amsterdam in August 2026, Désilets discussed the use of generative artificial intelligence during development, acknowledging that the team had sometimes been unable to distinguish AI-generated assets from other assets.^[19]

1666: Amsterdam was officially announced at Summer Game Fest on 5 June 2026, alongside the release of a free Prologue demo for Windows through Steam and the Epic Games Store.^[20] On 29 July, the studio released a gameplay video narrated by executive producer Jean-François Boivin, introducing the game's two protagonists, Noa and Aaron.^[21]

The game entered early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store on 25 August 2026.^[22] The early access version contained approximately 15 hours of gameplay, with additional content planned for the full release. Panache Digital Games stated that it intended to complete the game regardless of its initial commercial performance.^[6]

The announcement of 1666: Amsterdam attracted attention due to Patrice Désilets' return to the intellectual property after more than a decade. Game Rant noted similarities between the game's supernatural premise and Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe.^[23] The Prologue demo received mixed reactions. Polygon praised its eerie atmosphere and opening sequence but criticized its writing, dialogue, pacing and limited gameplay.^[24] Following the demo's release, players discovered AI-generated placeholder assets, prompting Panache Digital Games to apologize and announce plans to replace them with human-made assets.^[25]

Pre-release impressions expressed concerns about the game's technical state. GameSpot questioned its readiness for early access, while PC Gamer praised its ideas but criticized their execution.^[26][27] Following the early access launch, critics reported numerous bugs and performance issues, including frame-rate drops.^[28][29] PC Gamer similarly found that the game still required substantial improvements.^[30]

Despite these criticisms, reviewers identified potential in the game's concepts and setting. Wiktor Reinfuss of The Cosmic Circus praised its combination of ideas but criticized the writing and characterization.^[31] WayTooManyGames praised the story and atmospheric setting but found the combat, camera and movement controls stiff and cumbersome.^[32]

According to Patrice Désilets, 1666: Amsterdam is supposed to be the first game in a "Global Witchcraft Franchise."^[33]

• Official website