- Patrice Désilets Releases Development Documentary Covering the Journey to Early Access
- Early Access launch on Steam and Epic Games on August 25… Free prologue also provided
Panache Digital Games, an indie developer based in Montreal, Canada, released a documentary video titled “The Road to Early Access” on the 27th (local time) that tells the behind-the-scenes story of its new action-adventure game, “1666: Amsterdam.”
This 30-minute documentary vividly captures the arduous development journey and the struggles of the production team, starting from the game’s initial conception and planning stages to its official release as an Early Access version on Steam and the Epic Games Store on August 25.
Currently, ‘1666: Amsterdam’ is available to play on PC Steam and the Epic Games Store.
From the concept during the Ubisoft days to the Early Access launch
This documentary takes an in-depth look at the early ideas conceived by Creative Director Patrice Désilets during his time at Ubisoft and the background of the work’s origins.
It then captures the breathless journey from the founding of Panache Digital Games, through the previous work ‘Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey’, to putting the ‘1666: Amsterdam’ project back on full-scale development after it had been stalled for some time.
Furthermore, the video fully captures the remote work that continued amidst the challenges of the full lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the intense development sprints, and the arduous preparation process to unveil the veiled game to the public.
In the video, the development team candidly shares their expectations for leading a major project, their human anxiety right before launch, and their roadmap and aspirations for the upcoming official version through an interview.
A supernatural chase taking place in 17th-century Amsterdam
‘1666: Amsterdam’ is set in Amsterdam in 1666, where witches and supernatural beings exist. The mysterious beings known as ‘The Originals,’ who have enjoyed eternal life for centuries, have seized upon and abused immense power over time, and players will embark on a massive struggle to reclaim this distorted power.
The protagonist, Noa Brooklyn, is ‘The Collector,’ who possesses special abilities from birth and was raised by his mentor, Zaindaris.
The gameplay is characterized by a distinct day-night contrast. During the day, you must freely explore downtown Amsterdam, meticulously rendered using hand-drawing techniques, to find the Originals cleverly concealed among ordinary citizens and leave their mark.
Then, when night falls, you will begin a full-scale investigation into the city’s dark underbelly, and engage in a fierce battle under the moonlight where the witches’ gathering, ‘Esbat,’ is held, finally confronting the true nature of the Originals.
The gameplay of the two characters, Witch Noah and Cat Aaron, catches the eye.
The protagonist, Noah, is a character who can freely wield powerful magic and ancient sorcery passed down through his family for generations. On the other hand, Aaron, who was summoned from 1999 due to a mysterious incident, has a unique setting in which he views the world through the eyes of a cat rather than a human.
Players can switch between these two characters in real time and simultaneously experience Noah’s combat style, which involves wielding flashy magic, and Aaron’s stealthy play style, which involves nimbly climbing walls on all fours to traverse the terrain.
In the currently available free prologue version, you can experience firsthand the initial process of the protagonist Noah awakening and beginning his journey as a collector, and play up to the point where you select key companions who will accompany you on your long journey.
According to the official introduction of the prologue, the entire narrative of this work is set to unfold on a grand scale, traversing as many as three eras: the past of 1666, the end of the century of 1999, and the present.
Early access continuing development while incorporating feedback
Panache Digital Games plans to improve the game’s quality during this Early Access period by continuously adding new content and gathering player feedback. The developer previously announced the opening of an official Discord channel to actively listen to diverse opinions from users.
According to some overseas media outlets, the early access period for ‘1666: Amsterdam’ is expected to last about a year, and large-scale updates are planned to be released regularly before the official launch. The price of the product is set at 29.99 euros (approximately 45,000 won) according to a report by the German gaming media outlet Gameswelt.
Meanwhile, Panache Digital Games is a Montreal-based indie studio founded in 2014 by Creative Director Patrice Désilets and co-founder Jean-François Boivin.
Currently, over 60 veteran developers have joined the team and are developing the game with player-driven narratives and organic, emergent gameplay as core values. In particular, the leader, Patrice Désilets , is a figure who gained renown as a genius developer, having served as the Creative Director for the global mega-hit Assassin’s Creed 1 and 2, as well as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, during his time at Ubisoft.
Information regarding ‘ 1666: Amsterdam’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| development | Panache Digital Games |
| Genre | Action Adventure |
| platform | PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) |
| launch | Early Access on August 25, 2026 |
| price | 29.99 Euros (based on Gamesvelt report) |
| Trial version | Free prologue provided |
| Documentary | ‘The Road to Early Access’ (30 mins, released October 27, 2026) |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
