Anno Video Game Series

In 2013, German studio Blue Byte prepared a browser-based spin-off of the series titled Anno Online, which ran until January 31, 2018. In 2014, through a small Mi'pu'mi studio founded by former Rockstar Games employees, and with the support of Blue Byte Software, we got another spin-off called Anno: Build an Empire - the game was intended for iOS, although in 2015 it was ported to Android as well.

In 2015, we got the sixth full-fledged installment of the series, titled Anno 2205. Although initially its action was to be set in the Middle Ages, the developers at Blue Byte decided to move the player to the future, making it a sequel of sorts to Anno 2070. In 2019, we got Anno 1800 for PC, set in the time of the Industrial Revolution. The game got numerous expansions, and almost four years later also appeared on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. In 2020, we got Anno History Collection, a compilation containing remastered versions of the first four games. In 2024, meanwhile, we got the announcement of the eighth main installment of the series, Anno 117: Pax Romana, taking place in ancient Rome.

Gameplay in games of the Anno series

Gameplay in Anno is focused mainly on the economic and social aspect. The main goal is to build a rich city on an inhospitable terrain. This requires, first of all, the creation of efficient production chains, capable of satisfying the needs of settlers. There is also no shortage of challenges related to trade, diplomacy or military operations.

In the vast majority of games in the series, the historical background is related to the expansion of Western European civilization. The exceptions are Anno 2070 and Anno 2205, both set in the future. This somewhat refreshed the series - this could be seen, for example, in the changed raw material system, as some of the previously available ones were removed and replaced with others. In addition to this, Anno 2070 was the first game of the series, in which the player had the opportunity to direct three different, but not hostile factions - Echoes, Tech and Tycoons. Each of them was oriented towards a different path of development of the empire created by the player.

Most installments of the Anno series offers several game modes - single-player and multiplayer (cooperative and competitive).

Graphics in the games of the Anno series

Initially, the games in the Anno series had fairly simple, though aesthetically pleasing 2D graphics and an isometric perspective. With the release of Anno 1701 there was a radical change in the visuals and a move to a 3D environment. At the time of its release, Anno 1800 could be considered the crowning jewel in the developers' attempt to ipmrove the graphics, which even allowed to observe individual production processes (thanks to camera close-ups).

Naming of games in the Anno series

One of the biggest curiosities related to the games from the Anno series is their numbering. This is because the sum of the digits in the titles of these productions is always 9, which has become a hallmark of the series.

Although officially the reasons for this are unknown, it may have something to do with numerology, as in many cultures "nine" is considered a lucky digit. In addition, people who are numerological "nines" are supposed to be characterized by, among other things, altruism, idealism or humanitarianism, qualities that are very necessary for building resilient communities from the ground up; these may correspond with the spirit of settlement, and therefore the themes explored in the series.