THE MIDNIGHT CHRONICLE - Issue #01

Welcome to the first edition of The Midnight Chronicle.

We'll gather here to share what we've learned, what we've built, and what we've discovered alongside this growing community.

Here you'll find development updates, stories from the team, community investigations, behind-the-scenes insights, and occasional glimpses into what lies ahead for 1666: Amsterdam.

This is where we'll look back on the past lunar cycle and prepare for the next.

But before anything else, there is something we want to say.

HALF A MILLION

500,000 wishlists.

We still have trouble believing that number.

Just over a week ago, most of the world was not aware of 1666: Amsterdam's modern day development. Today, more than half a million players have chosen to embark on this journey with us.

When we revealed the game at Summer Game Fest, we hoped people would be curious. We hoped that 1666:Amsterdam returning would resonate with players.

What happened next exceeded every expectation.

Whether you've followed Patrice's work for years, discovered us through the reveal trailer, explored the Prologue, or simply shared the game with a friend, thank you.

THE ROAD TO NEXT FEST

From June 15 to June 22, 1666: Amsterdam will be participating in Steam Next Fest with the current Prologue demo.

Already, so many players have explored early story prologue of the game. We are actively reviewing all the feedback and comments.

One of the most common requests have been clear: More. More opportunity to experience the core gameplay and systems.

We're listening.

While the current Prologue will remain available during Next Fest in its current form and duration, the team is actively reviewing community feedback.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to play, review, stream, and share their thoughts. Every piece of feedback helps us shape a stronger game.

BEHIND THE SHADOWS

This lunar cycle, we're pleased to share our very first Developer Diary.

In this episode, the team takes you behind the vision of 1666: Amsterdam. From our research journey through the real streets of Amsterdam to the artistic and historical inspirations that helped shape the game, this first chapter explores how a real city slowly became the foundation for a world of mystery, superstition, and hidden truths.

To film this first diary, part of the team gathered at Château Ramezay in Old Montreal. Surrounded by stone walls, worn timber, and centuries of history, it felt like the perfect place to talk about a city three centuries away.

This month, meet some of the people helping bring 1666 to life:

Patrice Désilets Co-Founder & Creative Director

Jean-François Boivin Co-Founder & Executive Producer

Éléa Gadéa Researcher & Marketing Coordinator

Maxime Fortin

Senior Level Designer

A glimpse into their conversations:

INTO THE CITY AMSTERDAM, 2024

In 2024, the entire studio travelled to Amsterdam.

Artists. Designers. Programmers. Writers. Producers.

Everyone arrived with the same mission:

Get immersed.

Walk the streets.

Cross the canals.

Observe the architecture.

Understand the scale.

Feel the atmosphere.

The goal wasn't simply to collect reference photos. It was to understand how Amsterdam feels when you're standing inside it.

The audio team recorded the sounds of the city from bustling markets to quiet canals. Artists filled notebooks and camera rolls with details that photographs alone rarely capture.

Meanwhile, the level design team took a more physical approach.

They measured staircases, alleyways, rooftops, sightlines, and distances using their own bodies as reference.

Not because they needed exact measurements.

Because they wanted to understand how Amsterdam feels.

How narrow an alley becomes after sunset.

How far a rooftop jump appears from the edge.

How a canal changes the rhythm of a neighbourhood.

Historical research became artistic interpretation. Artistic interpretation became level design. Piece by piece, a real city began its transformation into the world you'll explore in 1666: Amsterdam.

THE FIRST TO SEE IT

Before Summer Game Fest, we shared fragments.

A forest.

A goat.

A cat.

A few seconds of footage with no explanation attached.

We wondered if anyone would connect the pieces.

You did.

Some members of our Discord community began dissecting every frame, comparing clues, building theories, and uncovering details long before the official reveal.

We watched it happen in real time. Remaining silent was harder than you might think.

Special recognition goes to the Cryptograph Works team, who were among the first to piece together some of the game's earliest mysteries.

To everyone who joined those discussions, thank you. Your curiosity, enthusiasm, and detective work have been incredible to watch.

Join the Discord and explore the full investigations for yourself.

BENEATH THE GABLE STONE

June 5th is a day we'll remember for a very long time.

The entire studio gathered together.

Developers. Artists. Writers. Producers.

Friends. Families. Dogs.

There was food everywhere. Conversations in every corner of the office. Equal parts celebration and nervous anticipation.

As Summer Game Fest approached, the countdown became impossible to ignore.

When our moment finally arrived, members of both Panache and Gambit sat ready at their stations.

Steam.

Epic.

Trailers.

Social channels.

Everything prepared.

Then the signal came.

Go.

Within seconds, years of work became public.

For some members of the team, this was their very first game announcement.

For others, their tenth.

What surprised us is how little that distinction mattered.

Whether it's your first project or your fiftieth, there is a unique feeling that comes from watching something you've spent years creating finally belong to the world.

The room went quiet.

Then it erupted.

We'll remember that moment for a long time.

Thank you for being part of it.

• The Panache Digital Games Team

FOR THOSE WHO MISSED IT

Summer Game Fest 2026 Reveal Trailer : here

Future Games Show Gameplay Trailer : here

Patrice Désilets at IGN Live 2026 : here