Anno 117: Pax Romana is a city-buildingreal-time strategy video game developed by Ubisoft Mainz and published by Ubisoft. It is the eighth installment in the Anno series and features strategic city-building gameplay in Ancient Rome, the earliest historical setting in the franchise. For the first time, players can choose between starting provinces: ruling either the Roman Empire in Latium or the Celtic kingdom in Albion, to spread Roman or Celtic cultural influence. Players assume the role of a governor, choosing between paths of loyalty or rebellion, focusing on power or economic growth.
Ubisoft officially announced the game in June 2024. It was released on 13 November 2025 for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S. Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews from critics.
Gameplay
Anno 117 is set during the Pax Romana, a period of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire. Players focus on expanding the empire, reflecting the era’s emphasis on territorial growth.[1] It is the earliest historical setting in the franchise to date. Players can choose between different starting provinces, ruling either the Roman Empire in Latium or the Celtic kingdom in Albion.[2] In the latter, players can choose to combine cultures or go fully Celtic.[1]
Players take the role of a Roman governor and have to complete orders for the Emperor.[3] In terms of diplomacy, the Emperor makes demands that affect a player’s reputation with Rome. Fulfilling or refusing these demands grants bonuses or penalties, and high reputation levels lead to major rewards. High reputation with the Emperor can earn Consul status, while opposing him may grant Proconsular authority.[4] Players start on an island with limited resources, build a stable economy, and expand to other islands as resources and opportunities allow.[1] They begin by building residences for liberti, and the population advances up to patricians as needs are met. Advancement in population is affected by access to goods and the presence of nearby prestige or polluting buildings. Paved roads extend the range of building influence. Production chains can span multiple islands and require inter-island trade. Trade routes use assigned ships that can be tracked and rerouted. Small settlements, warehouses, and waystations help manage logistics, and intra-region hubs let players consolidate and speed up exports. Players can also stabilize economic crises by placing buy orders at harbors.[4]
Endless Mode allows the game to continue indefinitely, with players starting in either Albion or Latium and choosing from multiple difficulty levels. Rival governors have different personalities and playstyles, and they do not always follow the same rules as the player. These governors can act as either opponents or trade partners.[4] Combat in Anno 117 takes place both at sea and on land. Ships in naval battles move differently depending on whether they use sails, oars, or both. They play an important role in protecting trade routes from pirates. Land combat includes melee, ranged, and siege units, though players may avoid it completely with a strong navy.[4]
Development
Anno 117: Pax Romana was developed by Ubisoft Mainz and published by Ubisoft.[5] Announced in June 2024,[6][7] the game was released on 13 November 2025 for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S.[8] It is the eighth installment in the Anno series and follows known strategic city-building elements.[9] The development of the game was subsidized by the German Federal Ministry of Economics with €5.7 million.[8]Anno 117 was planned to launch with built-in modding support, including a mod loader, as Ubisoft aimed to enable community modifications much earlier compared to Anno 1800.[10] Mods have been supported since launch, though features like the in-game mod UI and browser are still planned for post-release updates.[11]
In an interview with IGN, creative director Manuel Reinher stated that the team had focused on improving the starting experience for new players while maintaining the game's complexity. They aimed to make the game more modular, allowing new players to choose and explore specific provinces with more context and story. Core players were still expected to enjoy managing multiple lands and engaging in trade, as the game would be more adaptable and user-friendly. The team was committed to keeping the brand's legacy while introducing new features. The focus on fresh ideas and more social content was presented as a new way to meet player expectations. They described their rebranding efforts as a reason to expand the community and strengthen the partnership between players and developers for the best experience.[12] Developers also shared that diplomacy would play a bigger role than in previous games.[13]
In a developer livestream, Ubisoft revealed that Anno 117 introduces major changes to city-building, including optional needs that allow players to partially fulfill categorized requirements to advance population tiers. A new attribute system links different resources to distinct benefits and drawbacks, affecting attributes like population, income, and satisfaction. Additionally, production buildings provide positive or negative effects for nearby structures, encouraging strategic placement and more integrated city layouts.[14]
Developers told GameStar that Anno 117 addresses the reality of slavery in the Roman Empire through its story but avoids using it as a gameplay mechanic. Although slavery is not part of the gameplay, the game includes Liberti, freed slaves who make up the first working population and who often remained dependent on their former owners and had restrictive duties towards them.[15]
Release and promotion
The game was revealed during the Ubisoft Forward showcase in June 2024.[16][17] A live-action teaser trailer was released to accompany the announcement. It features a public herald reciting Roman scripture to an empty field of sheep, which compensated for the lack of gameplay footage.[16][18] The herald appeared in a second promotional video featuring 117 social media comments from people who had long wished for the Roman Empire to be the setting for the new Anno game.[19][20] Several artworks were released, which, according to the developers, contain some hints about the game's content.[21] A screenshot has been leaked after being accidentally uploaded to the official Anno site and quickly removed. The leaked image showed a large coastal settlement divided into several areas.[22]
In July 2024, Ubisoft Mainz held a contest via Anno Union in which anyone was able to design an ornament for Anno 117. A template was provided for the contest that fans could use to get creative. The silhouette of a statue needed to be completed and sent to Ubisoft.[23] Two further community contests were held, with participants creating an in-game quest in the first and designing an island in the second.[24][25] At Gamescom 2024, Ubisoft shared new details about Anno 117. The game is set to introduce significant changes to established mechanics, especially through the concept of Romanization versus Celtic traditions. Players can choose cultural paths that influence city development, production chains, and population progression.[26] In November 2024, the first official screenshots were released, showing the confirmed regions of Albion and Latium. The landscapes include rocky terrain, forested green areas, and a marsh-like environment.[27][28]
In February 2025, Ubisoft announced multiple closed beta periods for Anno 117: Pax Romana, allowing players to sign up immediately for the first one.[29] That same month, a developer trailer introduced modular ships as a new feature.[30][31]GamingBolt reported that players can build and customize their ships with modifications such as oars for better maneuverability or extra sails to catch favorable winds.[30] On 19 May 2025, a new trailer was released, unveiling gameplay for the first time.[32]Polygon noted some changes from previous installments, such as the ability to construct buildings diagonally and the impact of production building placement on their surrounding area.[33] At Gamescom 2025, publications and players were able to play a demo version of the game.[34] A PC-exclusive demo was released on 2 September 2025, featuring one hour of playable content.[35]
Anno 117 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic.[36][37]OpenCritic stated that 93% of critics recommended the game.[38] Shortly after its release, Ubisoft announced that Anno 117 set a new record as the fastest-selling game in the series.[39] On Steam, the game peaked at 50,484 concurrent players, nearly doubling the player count of its predecessor.[40]
Accolades
Prior to its release, Anno 117 received two Gamescom Awards at Gamescom 2025 for Best PC Game and Best Booth (Jury Award).[41]
Notes
↑Based on 56 scored reviews of 59 total reviews[36]
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