Patrice Désilets has spent more than a decade chasing a vision that felt worth preserving. The creative force behind Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and the first two Assassin's Creed games took the stage at IGN Live to discuss 1666: Amsterdam, a project that survived a grueling 15-year development cycle, multiple studio shifts, and the long fight to reclaim ownership of his own work.
The game's path to completion tested Désilets's commitment to an idea he believed in from the start. "When you have an idea and you feel there's something to it, you have to stick with it," he told the audience. "That's how I am."
The final product reflects significant creative evolution. What began as a concept centered on playing as the devil transformed when Désilets realized the cultural saturation of demonic characters in shows like Lucifer. Instead, he pivoted to witches as a symbolic parallel, opening the door to the game's unusual protagonist: Noa, a witch in 1666 Amsterdam who is actually a man from 1999.
The prologue bounces between three time periods and perspectives. Clio appears in the present day, deciphering a book in a library. Aaron enters during 1999. But the bulk of the experience, roughly 80% of the prologue, unfolds in 1666 as Noa. The three timelines operate as mirrors of one another, Désilets explained, creating thematic echoes across centuries.
There is, however, one detail that stands out. "The main thing, and it's very important, is you play as a cat," Désilets revealed. Footage showed the feline protagonist navigating the shadowed streets of 17th century Amsterdam with speed and agility, a shape-shifting incarnation of that character from 1999 trapped in a different form and era.
1666: Amsterdam launches on PC, with a free 30-minute prologue already available on Steam and Epic Games Store. The full release marks the culmination of Désilets's refusal to abandon a project even when the industry and circumstances seemed stacked against him.
Author Emily Chen: "A 15-year development cycle and a cat protagonist might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Désilets's track record suggests he knows what he's doing with weird, ambitious ideas."
Comments