Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana Revealed with New Features and Ancient Rome Setting

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The Anno series by Ubisoft, renowned among city-building enthusiasts, has its latest installment (Anno 1800) immersing players in the era of the industrial revolution. After six years, the franchise is venturing into one of the most demanded settings: Ancient Rome. The new game, named Anno 117: Pax Romana, will give players the opportunity to rule as a Roman emperor and construct their own Roman Empire from the ground up.

Game Rant recently participated in an event featuring “Anno 117: Pax Romana,” where they had a chat with game director Jan Dungel. He explained why the series shifted to Ancient Rome, shared details about their research methodology, and highlighted some fresh elements in this edition of the game. For your convenience, this interview has been condensed for clarity and conciseness.

The Anno Series Finally Goes to Ancient Rome

Q: Can you talk us through the decision behind having the game set in Ancient Rome?

A: For 27 years, the brand known as Anno has thrived in the industry. At some point, we had a strong likelihood of creating a game set in Rome. The real question was when this would happen. We always conduct surveys to understand our audience’s preferences, and it turns out that a Roman setting is highly desired by our fan base. In our latest title, Anno 1800, we delved into the industrial revolution era. While we wanted to maintain a historical context, we didn’t want to rehash what we had previously done – such as medieval games and so on. Instead, we aimed for something completely fresh, and the time period was ideal.

Rome, in the year 117 when it was thriving, serves as a superb backdrop for the game, given its expansive reach across multiple continents. A blend of diverse cultures and nations, Rome is an ideal location to highlight the versatility offered by the Anno series. It’s not just about constructing one city with marble streets; it’s also about forging connections with other regions, trading goods from various islands and territories. Indeed, this historical era showcases the remarkable building skills of its people.

A: One fascinating feature of the game is the incredible attention to detail across all its elements. How did the research phase unfold for such an expansive project?

In essence, our team is fortunate because many members have a passion for Ancient Rome, some even holding advanced degrees in archaeology. They were eager to work on something deeply personal and this enthusiasm was evident. While we delved deep into specific topics such as food origins, deities they worshipped, and so forth, extensive research was carried out within our dedicated studio section. The team here is well-educated, and questions like whether concrete existed in 117 were part of our detailed investigation process.

Anno 117: Pax Romana Aims to Bring in Both New and Existing Anno Fans

Question: How have you managed to cater to your current audience while also attracting a new one? Can you describe the actions taken for this approach?

A: In the previous years, the Anno gameplay was more linear with a rigid sequence of tasks to progress. However, in the current setup, we’ve introduced two separate balances to make the experience more dynamic and less restrictive. Players now have more freedom to decide their own path, which includes upgrading civilizations, exploring new islands, or expanding to new provinces. Interestingly, we discovered that these crucial decisions are also the points where many players tend to quit the game.

In order to cater to both casual and hardcore players, we’ve come up with an approach that introduces choices to the gameplay experience. This way, instead of having a strictly linear progression where every player must complete all objectives, we’ve added flexibility. Players can choose to focus on half the tasks if they prefer a more relaxed pace, or opt for a more challenging journey by tackling everything. Essentially, we aim to strike a balance between accommodating those who don’t want too much work and those who enjoy immersing themselves fully in the game world.

Anno 117: Pax Romana Will Launch Simultaneously on PC and Consoles

Question: Is this game being released at the same time for both PC and console versions. Was any adjustment made to the control setup for this simultaneous launch, and can we expect a smooth and instinctive gaming experience on consoles?

A: After releasing Anno 1800, we used the extended post-launch period to test and integrate console versions of the game. This served as our testing ground for designing the console control scheme, which turned out to be a great success. The console version was primarily focused on improving the user interface and adapting controls to fit the console controller. While the actual game features remain unchanged, you’ll notice different user interfaces and methods for controlling the game. However, the overall gaming experience in terms of content offered by the game is consistent across both versions.

Q: Are there any plans for a multiplayer component?

Absolutely! Let me confirm that the game includes a multiplayer feature, similar to what we had in “Anno 1800”. We’re also working on a cooperative mode, which was popular among players of the previous version. However, I can’t disclose specific details about it just yet.

Q: Is there anything you can say on the post-launch roadmap right now?

At this point, I’m unable to disclose much information. However, I’m really looking forward to discussing it further in greater depth shortly!

Combat Plays a Role in Anno 117: Pax Romana

In the year 117, during the Pax Romana, will there be both land and sea battles? Is it possible for a player to avoid all combat altogether and solely focus on city development? Are any combat engagements required in the game or could they be skipped entirely?

A: It is possible to avoid any battles within the game. Initially, our focus was on creating a premium city-building game, and we wanted to stay true to that vision. While there are many who enjoy land combat, there are also those who prefer not to participate. To cater to both groups, we will offer various customization options for accessibility. For instance, you can disable AI if you wish.

Even if you don’t adjust any settings, the characters in the game will generally behave more peacefully, meaning that non-violent outcomes are more likely. To trigger combat, you’ll need to encounter hostile characters who refuse to negotiate peacefully. For instance, there will be pirates in the game, but if you prefer, you can disable them. The game offers a high degree of customization, and it should be noted that combat is not a mandatory or integral part of the gameplay experience.

Q: In terms of the narrative, will there be multiple endings?

Our strategy involves creating several possible conclusions for the campaign. The exact outcome will depend on who sits on the throne at the finale. As we approach the appropriate time, we’ll share more details about the campaign, but I can assure you that multiple endings are indeed part of our plan.

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2025-05-19 19:47