"Anno 117": Free demo coming on September 2

On November 13, "Anno 117" invites you to Rome. If you want to try out the building strategy game before then, you don't necessarily have to come to Gamescom in Cologne: Ubisoft has announced that a playable demo will be released on September 2. Anyone can download and play the demo free of charge from September 2 to 16 via Steam, the Epic Game Store and Ubisoft Connect.

After the demo period has expired, it will no longer be playable. Another important restriction: each demo run lasts a maximum of one hour. However, you can restart as many games as you like.

Romans or Celts?

It's probably worth starting at least two games. For the first time in the history of the building strategy series, "Anno 117" has two equal factions to choose between at the start: Romans and Celts.

The Romans were already playable, at least for press members and streamers. Now Ubisoft has also presented the Celts in the Albion region in more detail for the first time. As a player, you can lead the Celts in two different directions: You can either protect Celtic traditions or enforce Roman customs. Like the Romans, the Celts have their own tech and religion tree, with which they unlock different bonuses.

No matter which faction you choose at the beginning: Over the course of an "Anno 117" game, you can basically unlock both factions. If that's too much for you, you can also play just one faction, Creative Director Manuel Reinher explained in an interview with heise online: "If you're not the Anno hardcore crack, then you can also say: I'll just stay Latium for now." Some goods and bonuses are then blocked, but you are not completely excluded from progress.

"Anno 117" is one of the showcase games at Gamescom in Cologne. Visitors to the games fair can try out the demo at the Ubisoft stand in Hall 6.

(dahe)