Patrice Désilets, the acclaimed creator of Assassin's Creed, has offered a new glimpse into his upcoming game, 1666: Amsterdam. The supernatural dark fantasy title, which has been in development for 16 years, originally beginning in 2011 at THQ, was recently re-revealed during Summer Game Fest 2026. Developer Panache Digital Games has detailed the game's distinctive art direction, which blends inspirations from fine art and slasher cinema across its multiple time periods.
Set across three distinct eras – the late 17th century, 1999, and the modern day – 1666: Amsterdam aims to immerse players in a visually unique world. For its 17th-century segments, the development team has drawn heavily from the Dutch Golden Age of art. Creative director Patrice Désilets explained that this approach involved translating the works of painters like Johannes Vermeer and Adriaen van Ostade into interactive environments, capturing the essence of the era and its depiction of everyday life.
Désilets described the paintings from this period as akin to historical photographs, offering an expressive yet accurate representation of Amsterdam. "I really love art in general, not just from the 17th century," he stated. "There's something in those artists, that era, that place, that is very powerful. It was among the first... who painted ordinary people from the street."
In stark contrast to the classical art influences, the 1999 portion of the game channels the aesthetic of 1960s Giallo slasher films. This inspiration brings dark contrasts and bold primary colors, creating a dramatically different atmosphere from the game's historical setting. The modern-day segments, conversely, are designed with a sober and cinematic look, taking place within a library environment, according to artistic director Nicolas Cantin.
This multi-faceted approach to art direction is not unprecedented; last year's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also featured a unique art style rooted in French Belle Époque art. However, 1666: Amsterdam faced criticism after its playable prologue on Steam appeared to use generative AI for some in-game art and assets. Panache Digital has since issued a statement promising that these AI-generated elements will be removed and replaced with work from human artists in the full release.
1666: Amsterdam is slated to launch in early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store.