Ubisoft and developer Blue Byte have announced that their civilization-building title, Anno 1800, will be delayed until April. It was originally anticipated for a Winter Quarter 2018 release and has been pushed back in order to tune the game so that “it can be even better with a little additional polish.” The developers made this difficult decision because they believe it to be the only method for prospective players to enjoy the game in the best way possible at launch. The months of waiting will not be void of news or content from Anno 1800, as the closed beta will be available to those that sign-up from January 31 through February 4.
Originally revealed at Gamescom 2017, Anno 1800 is a society building game that takes place during the Industrial Revolution. Players, as rulers and political decision-makers, can choose to either embrace technological advancements with liberating policies or exploit these discovers with an oppressing hand. Tasks that will help develop a society will consist of creating enormous metropolises, planning logistic networks, settling in foreign lands, exploring, and beating enemies through either diplomacy, trade, or war. The news of the upcoming closed beta was accompanied by a look at some new gameplay:
Anno “combines beloved features from 20 years of Anno history” with a campaign storyline, sandbox modes, and multiplayer. Features from previous games that will be returning include: individual AI opponents, randomly generated map areas, multisession gameplay, and shippable goods. Dealing with AI opponents and establishing a profitable network of trade routes will ultimately lead to the success of a player’s society. Something completely new to the series will be the ability for societies to take advantage of the continent of South America and its many rare resources. Crossing the ocean opens the door to both opportunities and risks.
Anno 1800 is now set to release April 16 on PC and will have many more details discussed in the weeks leading up to launch. Players can also grab the Deluxe Edition of the game upon release, which will include the full game, the first DLC, exclusive icons, the digital soundtrack, and a digital art book.