1666: Amsterdam hits Early Access on August 25 — Assassin's Creed creator's long-delayed comeback
Patrice Désilets — the developer who created Assassin's Creed — is finally releasing 1666: Amsterdam in Early Access on August 25, priced at $29.99 on Steam and Epic Games Store. The game has been in development for roughly sixteen years, surviving a legal dispute with Ubisoft over creative rights that wasn't settled until April 2016. Console versions are planned but have no confirmed release date.
The game
Set in 17th-century Amsterdam, 1666 follows Noa Brooklyn, a woman from the ancient Zaindaris bloodline who can see supernatural creatures called the Originals. By day she walks the city observing its inhabitants; by night she fights those creatures. A talking cat named Aaron — a man from another era trapped in feline form — acts as her companion. The game also cuts between historical Amsterdam and a present-day version of the city, a structure that echoes the Animus framing device from the original Assassin's Creed games.
What reviewers say
The preview embargo lifted August 10, with outlets including The Verge and PC Gamer publishing hands-on impressions simultaneously. The consensus: the visual direction is the clear strength. Panache drew heavily from Dutch Golden Age painting — Vermeer in particular — and critics across the board praised the art style. Combat and animation polish are flagged as weak points. Those are fixable during Early Access, but they're worth knowing before you buy in now rather than waiting for the full release, which is expected roughly a year after August 25.
The AI controversy
The free 30-minute prologue, released in June, landed with mixed reviews on Steam — around 50% positive — partly because of AI-generated portraits used in marketing materials. Panache apologized and confirmed by August 10 that those assets had been removed, pledging zero AI content in the full release. That commitment will matter to buyers who care about the issue, and it's worth watching whether the studio holds to it as development continues.
The Early Access price of $29.99 is set to increase as the game nears completion, per the Steam store page. UK pricing via Steam regional conversion is expected to land around £22–24, though an exact figure hasn't been confirmed. If you want to try before buying, the free prologue remains available on Steam and Epic.
