Union Update: Mid-April news recap and roadmap

Hey Anno Community,

Exactly a week ago we were celebrating Anno Day with all of you with a 9-hour livestream where we went through Anno history and had a glimpse of the (very near) future with the Prophecies of Ash DLC for Anno 117: Pax Romana.

With today’s Union Update we would like to recap the latest news from the past week and what’s coming next in the Anno universe.

Celebrating Anno Day

What a special day celebrating with you all, Anno Community – Anno Day was a success! We hope you enjoyed spending time with us going through Anno history – because we sure did. Each segment of the livestream brought back memories for everyone in the chat and the dev team. Thank you all for joining us last week and a thank you to CityPlannerPlays for visiting us in Mainz and joining the livestream.

But of course, it wasn’t just about the past: we had a glimpse into the future with gameplay for Anno 117: Pax Romana and its first DLC, Prophecies of Ash – which will release April 23. So close! In the meantime, make sure to check out the trailer below:

And if you would like to catch on the full 9-hour livestream, you can find the VOD here.

During the livestream we also had quite a few giveaways. Congratulations to the winners! Please check your messages on Twitch to get your prize.

Many of you also asked us where to find the art book, cookbook and vinyl, so here are all the links for you:

• The Art of Anno 117: Pax Romana
• Anno – Das offizielle Kochbuch (German only)
• Anno 117: Pax Romana Exclusive Edition Deluxe Double Vinyl

Livestream next week

If you would like to see more gameplay footage before diving into the DLC yourself, we have great news for you: we’re planning a livestream on April 22^nd at 5:00 PM CEST to show you even more raging fires, fountains of lava and mountains of ash. It’s also a great opportunity to ask any remaining questions or voice any concerns you might have to Jan (Game Director), Tobias (Senior Game Designer) and Dominik (Game Designer). So, make sure to tune in on Twitch next week!

Prophecies of Ash DLC

Speaking of the upcoming content to Anno 117: Pax Romana, there’s no better way to get into volcanic mood than to read not one but TWO DevBlogs on the topic.

The first DevBlog will give you an overview of Cinis, the continental island added with the Prophecies of Ash DLC, and a mysterious new character, Caecilia.

Of course, the island comes with its pros and cons. Pros: biggest island in Anno history so far, plenty of space for a huge Latium capital, plenty of resources and river slots. Cons: Occasus, a giant active volcano, with rivers of lava and scorching rocks falling from the sky.

Therefore, to be ready for what’s to come, make sure to check out our second DevBlog to learn how the volcano works with its phases and mechanics.

As the release of Prophecies of Ash is just around the corner (April 23rd), we will soon share more on Patch 1.5, so make sure to check the Anno Union on:

• April 20^th for a blog highlighting improvements coming as a free update with patch 1.5
• April 22^nd for the full patch notes.

What’s next

Yes, we’ve been talking a lot about the Prophecies of Ash DLC these days… but what’s next?

Well, Prophecies of Ash is just the first DLC of the year. Then it will be time for The Hippodrome DLC in August, and a grand finale with the Dawn of the Delta DLC in November! All these DLC are part of the Year 1 Pass.

Future updates will also include more improvements and quality-of-life features, like expanding the statistics menu, a note-taking functionality and the mod browser.

In addition, for all the beauty builders out there, in June we will release the second Cosmetic DLC, Blooming Cities Pack! For all the fans of overgrown gardens – this will be just perfect for you.

What about the third Cosmetic DLC you see on the map? We will keep this as a secret for now.

And with this mystery, we conclude today’s Union Update. Thanks, once again, for making Anno Day so special and the continued support!