Assassin's Creed Co-Creator Re-Reveals 1666 Amsterdam, 30-Minute Demo Playable Now
Assassin's Creed co-creator Patrice Désilets has re-revealed 1666 Amsterdam, a historical action adventure set in the turbulent year of 1666, during the Great Fire of London and the plague in Amsterdam. The project, which had been abandoned years ago, has resurfaced at Summer Game Fest, marking a long-awaited return to the vision Désilets first explored over a decade ago. The idea was initially conceived back when he was working at the now-defunct THQ Montreal, a studio that was later acquired by Ubisoft. Désilets worked for Ubisoft for several years before leaving under contentious circumstances. Now, with his own studio Panache Digital, he has reclaimed the rights to 1666 Amsterdam — though he chose to focus on developing Ancestors: A Humankind Odyssey first.
A New Era for 1666 Amsterdam
The free 30-minute demo of 1666 Amsterdam is now available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, offering players a glimpse into the world that Désilets and his team have been building for the past six years. The full game is set to launch in early Access on PC in 2026, with console versions arriving at a later date. Désilets expressed his pride in the progress made by his team of nearly 70 developers in Montreal, emphasizing that the development process has been focused solely on creating a polished and engaging experience.
- No fake footage or marketing hype
- No vertical slices or half-formed gameplay clips
- Just a playable experience that has evolved steadily over time
In a statement, Désilets said, “It’s been a long time coming, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team of nearly 70 talented developers in Montreal. For the past six years, we’ve focused on one thing above all else: the game itself. No fake footage, no vertical slices, just a playable experience evolving build after build, day after day.”
What to Expect in the Prologue
The free prologue currently available on Steam and the Epic Games Store is described as only a small taste of what’s to come. Désilets compared it to “an amuse-bouche before a nine-course dinner,” introducing players to the world, characters, and various time periods that will be explored in the full game. Players can expect to experience a dark, story-driven third-person action adventure that takes place in the historical setting of 1666 Amsterdam, a time marked by chaos, plague, and political intrigue.
Fans of the Assassin's Creed series will likely be intrigued by the return of Désilets to the historical action genre, especially after his departure from Ubisoft and the success of Ancestors: A Humankind Odyssey. The project has been in development for years, and with the 30-minute demo now available, players can finally get a sense of what to expect from the full release.
