Anno 117: Pax Romana Launches Its First DLC April 30 - and a Free Weekend Is Live Right Now
If you have been on the fence about Anno 117: Pax Romana, this weekend is your opening. Ubisoft has launched a free weekend for the city-builder on PC, running from April 23 through April 27 - so you have a few days to jump in and see what 1.17 million players have already found out. The free weekend is live now on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect.
That milestone number is not just a talking point. Ubisoft confirmed today that Anno 117 has crossed 1.17 million players since its November 13, 2025 launch, making it the fastest-selling entry in the franchise's history. The critical reception matched the commercial performance, and the team has been building on that momentum ever since.
Prophecies of Ash DLC Arrives April 30 With the Largest Island in Anno History
The timing of this free weekend is deliberate. Anno 117's first DLC, Prophecies of Ash, drops on April 30 - one week from now. It expands the game's Latium region with what Ubisoft is calling the largest island in Anno franchise history, and it comes with a catch: an active volcano that challenges the way you govern. Eruption phases will force you to adapt mid-game, which sounds like the kind of pressure the Anno formula thrives under.
Devote your cities to the god Vulcan and you will unlock buffs for your mines, access new production chains, and trade obsidian for powerful specialists. It is a focused expansion that ties its new mechanics directly into the existing systems rather than bolting something separate onto the side. Prophecies of Ash is included in the Year One Pass, or available as a standalone DLC purchase.
The Year One Pass Has Two More Expansions After This
Prophecies of Ash is just the start of a substantial content roadmap. The Hippodrome arrives in August 2026, bringing the grandest monument in Anno history: a chariot racing venue inspired by the Circus Maximus that lets you entertain citizens and unlock buffs across your islands. Then, in November 2026, Dawn of the Delta opens an entirely new province built around vast deserts and a fertile river delta, complete with new population tiers, Egyptian deities, new military units, and a civilizational balancing act between Roman ambition and Egyptian tradition.
Anno 117 is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The free weekend is PC only. If you play it and want to keep your city going after April 27, your progress carries over on purchase - you do not have to start again.
Stéphane Jankowski, Executive Producer on Anno, put it simply: "Our team remains dedicated, continuously listening to feedback and striving to deliver the ambitious Year 1 content." Based on what Prophecies of Ash is bringing to the table, that dedication has a direction.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:29 PM.