SPONSORED BY UBISOFT
here have been some great dynasties of city-builders over the decades—from SimCity to Cities: Skylines, from Tropico to Frostpunk—but few have endured throughout the ages like Ubisoft's Anno series. First released in
1998 with Anno 1602, the series has explored multiple historical (and
In its pursuit to build on greatness, Ubisoft Mainz is going back all the way back to antiquity—the earliest period in history that the series has ever gone. Anno 117: Pax Romana puts you in the position of a Roman Governor, sent by the Emperor to govern the provinces of the empire.
For the first time ever, players will be able to choose their starting province, the familiar Roman shore of Latium or the mysterious shores of Albion. The beginning of Anno 117: Pax Romana sees you establish a foothold in new lands, set up food production chains, and tend to the basic living needs of your citizens.
future) epochs, letting players build and manage societies in beautiful detail. Its last, and most successful, release came in 2019 with Anno 1800, and now it's ready for the next chapter.
As you build those early dirt roads, bakeries, farms, and coastal production chains, be aware that efficiency can come at a cost thanks to the new attribute system. Everyone wants the porcine produce of pig farms, sure, but they won't want to live right next to the stench. Bakeries, meanwhile, drive a strong profit, but also put your city at risk of fire that could raze your settlement before it even truly gets started. The new attribute system creates more nuance than ever, so an eye for strategic urban planning is critical.
Assuming you don't burn it all to the ground, your settlements will eventually grow to contain iconic Roman buildings such as villas, aqueducts, and amphitheatres, all connected using Rome's grid-like road networks (oh, and diagonal roads are now a thing too!).
Gods played a huge role in the fine fabric of Roman society, and that is reflected in the game. As you expand to different islands, each one can have a different deity, allowing you to adapt it to the island's needs; a small island dependent on the seas may look to Neptune, who will grant its people more courage to fish in deeper waters and inspire them to build ships faster. On an island with sprawling arable land, you may want to dedicate a temple to Ceres, who will increase farm yields and food production.
While local deities affect local areas, overseeing it all will be your chosen Patron Deity, which will naturally occur when your peoples' Devotion to one deity reaches a certain level. Once that happens, a global effect unique to that deity will occur throughout your entire realm.
Eventually, in the campaign you will be exiled to new frontiers, including the mystical lands of Albion, where no Roman wants to be. It is here where benighted Celts in body paint exist without the civilising hand of The Empire to guide them. These verdant and wild lands are home to new people, new resources, and new challenges that offer a sharp contrast to the more familiar mediterranean climes of Latium. Will you entice the Celts with the Roman ways of bathhouses and wine, or will you protect local customs and embrace their way of life? As their Governor, you’ll stand in the eye of a cultural storm, grappling to maintain stability in your provinces. The cost of peace is yours to decide.
Of course a happy populace is a productive one, but sometimes you'll face more direct threats from within and without that demand direct action. So whether you need to crush a Celtic rebellion or fend off a rival governor, it pays to be ready. A detailed and modular naval combat system allows you to upgrade your ships with everything from new sails to better-trained archers, but making a return in the series is a proper land combat system, which is befitting of a civilisation famed for its infantry.
All Roads Lead to Anno’s Empire
Anno 117 is a bold step into a monumental period, letting you carve out a piece of the world for one of the most famed (not to mention architecturally striking) civilisations in history. It's an undertaking worthy of Rome, and of the faithful Anno players who have helped the series endure.
You can head over to the Steam or official site to pre-order Anno 117: Pax Romana now as it braces for its November 13 landing. If you can’t wait for release and missed Gamescom, we’ll be releasing the Gamescom demo on September 2nd, free for everyone to play!
In the meantime, you can read all the latest pamphlets from the Ubisoft empire on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
All Roads Lead To Anno’s Empire
here have been some great dynasties of city-builders over the decades— from SimCity to Cities: Skylines, from Tropico to Frostpunk—but few have
endured throughout the ages like Ubisoft's Anno series. First released in 1998 with Anno 1602, the series has explored multiple historical (and future) epochs, letting players build and manage societies in beautiful detail. Its last, and most successful, release came in 2019 with Anno 1800, and now it's ready for the next chapter.
In its pursuit to build on greatness, Ubisoft Mainz is going back all the way back to antiquity—the earliest period in history that the series has ever gone. Anno 117: Pax Romana puts you in the position of a Roman Governor, sent by the Emperor to govern the provinces of the empire.
For the first time ever, players will be able to choose their starting province, the familiar Roman shore of Latium or the mysterious shores of Albion. The beginning of Anno 117: Pax Romana sees you establish a foothold in new lands, set up food production chains, and tend to the basic living needs of your citizens.
As you build those early dirt roads, bakeries, farms, and coastal production chains, be aware that efficiency can come at a cost thanks to the new attribute system. Everyone wants the porcine produce of pig farms, sure, but they won't want to live right next to the stench. Bakeries, meanwhile, drive a strong profit, but also put your city at risk of fire that could raze your settlement before it even truly gets started. The new attribute system creates more nuance than ever, so an eye for strategic urban planning is critical.
Assuming you don't burn it all to the ground, your settlements will eventually grow to contain iconic Roman buildings such as villas, aqueducts, and amphitheatres, all connected using Rome's grid-like road networks (oh, and diagonal roads are now a thing too!).
Gods played a huge role in the fine fabric of Roman society, and that is reflected in the game. As you expand to different islands, each one can have a different deity, allowing you to adapt it to the island's needs; a small island dependent on the seas may look to Neptune, who will grant its people more courage to fish in deeper waters and inspire them to build ships faster. On an island with sprawling arable land, you may want to dedicate a temple to Ceres, who will increase farm yields and food production.
While local deities affect local areas, overseeing it all will be your chosen Patron Deity, which will naturally occur when your peoples' Devotion to one deity reaches a certain level. Once that happens, a global effect unique to that deity will occur throughout your entire realm.
Establish supply chains to provide your Celtic axebearers with the sharpest bladespears, and pursue military traditions through the Discovery Tree to eventually research Legionnaires, chariots, and more. Once you march on your enemies, the combat utilises a classic RTS rock-paper-scissors pattern of infantry, archers, and cavalry, and you'll need to think strategically if you're to take over rival settlements (while also building up defences at home in case they have their own expansionist ambitions!).
Through the Discovery Tree, your province will progress through the education of your people and public service buildings such as the Grammaticus. Watching your dirt roads get replaced by paved ones, and your armies march into battle with plumes on their helmets and the sun glinting off their segmented plate armour are just a couple of the satisfying markers of progress on your journey, with around 150 discoveries to be made in total.
Eventually, in the campaign you will be exiled to new frontiers, including the mystical lands of Albion, where no Roman wants to be. It is here where benighted celts in body paint exist without the civilising hand of The Empire to guide them. These verdant and wild lands are home to new people, new resources, and new challenges that offer a sharp contrast to the more familiar mediterranean climes of Latium. Will you entice the Celts with the Roman ways of bathhouses and wine, or will you protect local customs and embrace their way of life? As their Governor, you’ll stand in the eye of a cultural storm, grappling to maintain stability in your provinces. The cost of peace is yours to decide.
Of course a happy populace is a productive one, but sometimes you'll face more direct threats from within and without that demand direct action. So whether you need to crush a Celtic rebellion or fend off a rival governor, it pays to be ready. A detailed and modular naval combat system allows you to upgrade your ships with everything from new sails to better-trained archers, but making a return in the series is a proper land combat system, which is befitting of a civilisation famed for its infantry.
Establish supply chains to provide your Celtic axebearers with the sharpest bladespears, and pursue military traditions through the Discovery Tree to eventually research Legionnaires, chariots, and more. Once you march on your enemies, the combat utilises a classic RTS rock-paper-scissors pattern of infantry, archers, and cavalry, and you'll need to think strategically if you're to take over rival settlements (while also building up defences at home in case they have their own expansionist ambitions!).
Through the Discovery Tree, your province will progress through the education of your people and public service buildings such as the Grammaticus. Watching your dirt roads get replaced by paved ones, and your armies march into battle with plumes on their helmets and the sun glinting off their segmented plate armour are just a couple of the satisfying markers of progress on your journey, with around 150 discoveries to be made in total.
SPONSORED BY UBISOFT