Amsterdam, 1666.  A city built on wealth, power, and sheer will, but now fueled by a sinister force it did not forge…

What will unfold in Amsterdam did not begin there.
It was set in motion long before the first canal was dug, before the first stone was named.

In the year 1333, the contracts were sealed.
And ever since, the city has lain under their influence.

The Collector now stands invested.
As the cycle reaches its end, another begins.

Entities known as The Originals have lived for centuries, granted time, granted power, and the freedom to abuse both. That power is now owed.

Noa Brooklyn was born The Collector, raised by the Zaindaris for a purpose she did not choose: taking that power back.

This is where the cycle begins.

Before the first Esbat. Before the Collector realizes what awaits her.

Panache Digital Games released the above Developer Diary #2 for 1666: Amsterdam, offering players a behind-the-scenes look at the artistic vision behind the upcoming story-led action-adventure from creative director Patrice Désilets. 

Released under the banner of the New Moon, this latest episode explores how the team drew inspiration from 17th-century Dutch art, particularly the Dutch Golden Age, to shape the game's distinctive visual identity across its different timelines.

From historical research and artistic references to the process of translating paintings into interactive environments, the episode showcases the philosophy and craftsmanship behind the world of 1666: Amsterdam.

A free playable 1666: Amsterdam prologue is available now on Steam and Epic Games Store. This standalone narrative teaser, lasting approximately 30 minutes, introduces the world, characters, and core mystery of 1666: Amsterdam.

The Prologue of 1666: Amsterdam offers a first glimpse into a world shaped by centuries of hidden influence. Step into Noa’s Commencement as she takes on the mantle of the Collector, and begins to understand the role she was born to fulfill.

A choice must be made. A companion will walk beside her.

This is only the beginning.

prologue features

• Three timelines, one mystery: Glimpse a story unfolding across 1666, 1999, and the present day, each era revealing fragments of a larger truth.
• Choose your companion: A decision must be made early. Choose the one who will walk beside you, bound to your path.
• Step into Noa’s Commencement: Take on the mantle of the Collector and discover the role you were meant to fulfill.
• The world behind the world: Uncover the foundations of a universe shaped by centuries of unseen influence, where nothing is quite what it seems.

“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. Today, we’re finally ready to invite players into that process. The free prologue available now on Steam and Epic Games Store is only a small taste of what’s to come, an amuse-bouche before a nine-course dinner, an introduction to the world, its characters, and its different time periods. We hope players will enjoy discovering it as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it. Merci and Panache Coliss!,” said  Panache Digital Games Creative Director Patrice Désilets

Key Features:

• A city with two faces: Explore a handcrafted Amsterdam by day. At night, uncover what lies beneath its surface. Every facade carries a gablestone. Not all of them tell the truth.
• Every name. Every debt: The Originals walk among Amsterdam’s citizens, hidden behind human faces. Identify them. Mark them. When the Esbat comes, confront them in their true form under the moon. Collect what is owed.
• Your path, your methods: Noa commands witchcraft and spellcasting passed down through generations of Zaindaris. Each target can be approached in multiple ways. Strategy, timing, and choice define the outcome. Every Esbat is a reckoning.
• Two characters, two perspectives: Noa is not alone. Aaron, summoned from 1999, now sees the world through the eyes of a cat. Together, they are one: Switch between Noa and Aaron across two radically different playstyles. One wields witchcraft. The other has four paws and flair.

1666: Amsterdam is set to launch in Early Access on PC in 2026 (Steam / Epic Games Store), with console versions planned for a later date.