Anno 117: Pax Romana - Day One Release on Steam and First Screenshots
– 3 min read
Ubisoft will release Anno 117: Pax Romana in 2025. As part of the latest changes to its publishing strategy, the game, developed by Ubisoft Mainz, will also be released on Steam on day one. The first screenshots have been shown as well.
After the underwhelming launch of Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft has announced that the company will focus more on quality and will change its release strategy (GamesMarkt reported). This includes releasing games day-one on Steam in the future. Until now, the French publisher has focused on day-one PC releases on its own platform Ubisoft Connect and the Epic Games Store. The first game to be affected by the change will be Assassin's Creed Shadows on 14 February 2025. Anno 117: Pax Romana, currently in development at Ubisoft Mainz, will also be available on Steam on launch day.
"We're pleased to confirm that Anno 117: Pax Romana will be available on Steam from Day 1 when it releases in 2025 together with all other platforms: Ubisoft Connect, the Epic [Games] Store, Xbox Series and PlayStation," wrote the Publisher at Anno Union. The game will also be available on Amazon Luna.
Its predecessor, Anno 1800, the most successful game in the series to date, was no longer available on Steam when it launched in April 2019 due to an exclusive deal with another platform. However, those who pre-ordered the game on Steam were able to play it without any issues, including all expansions and patches. Anno 1800 returned to Steam on 29 November 2022.
The game, which received the largest amount of funding to date from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (€5,697,585), is developing well. The developers have implemented the "vast majority of features", with more content being added at each milestone. A week-long playtest took place in September. For the first time, screenshots of an early version of the game have been released, showing islands from the two provinces of Latium and Albion. Ubisoft: "Keep in mind these screenshots have been taken from a work-in-progress version of the game and do not reflect the final quality of the game." The province of Latium (close to the heart of the Roman Empire) has wide open spaces, sandy beaches, lavender fields and cliffs. The province of Albion, much further north, has rocky landscapes with high cliffs and mountains, swampy areas, fog and rain.
"We wanted to create a striking contrast between the provinces and the mystic Celtic Albion is perfect for that. It’s the most alien place within the Empire. It’s wet, misty, full of marshland - a place far from home where no civilized Roman wants to be. You will face new challenges in this province, but also new exciting opportunities that these wetlands and the local people unlock in your adventure as a governor," says Manuel Reinher, Creative Director, on the community website Anion Union.
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Anno 117: Pax Romana: "You are a Roman governor in the year 117 AD. Follow the path laid before you, or boldly question the status quo of the empire. Embark on a challenging narrative journey to build your cities where alternative paths beckon. (...) Your choices as a governor matter to your citizens! Will you encourage economic growth or expand your rule through dominance? Lead with rebellion or unite a diverse culture? Choose wisely, your decisions will guide them through the era of Pax Romana."
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