Anno Series Sees the Future in Anno 2070

What would a fresh year be without an in-depth trading or management game?  Last year gave us Patrician IV and this year is apparently being just as generous, with Ubisoft announcing the long awaited sequel in the popular Anno series, Anno 2070.  No, it isn’t a belated April Fools joke, you read correctly: Anno 2070.  Whereas in the past, the RTS/management/trading sim has always remained firmly ensconced in the annals of history somewhere, developers Related Designs, in partnership with Settlers devs Blue Byte, are dragging it kicking and screaming into a futuristic setting.

Anno 2070 will take place in a time where rising sea levels, brought about by climate change, have forced humanity to adapt to a new environment, while building cities and managing new technologies.

Caroline Stevens, Ubisoft’s brand director had this to say:

“Due to the game’s futuristic setting, the development team wasn’t restricted by historical boundaries and was able to dream bigger than ever before. It’s a new take on a great franchise that both newcomers and longtime fans will love.”

Features included are as follows:

• New gameplay mechanics will be introduced to suit the near-future setting, along with the challenges and architectural changes that one would expect from a race adapting to a new and wildly different world.
• Cities can be built on a scale never before seen in prior Anno games
• A new version of the game engine promises some eyecatching visuals
• The world of Anno 2070 will be dynamic, adapting and evolving depending on each gamer’s play style and decisions.  Choices will have an impact on the environment, architectural look, and needs of the populace.
• Player will be able to chose between two factions – Tycoons and Ecos.
• Single player campaign, single player, ‘continuous mode’, and multiplayer and online modes will be available.

The near future setting, while still intriguing, is an odd one, and certainly won’t please traditionalists who prefer the historical settings of the previous titles.  Add to this, the fast becoming wearisome ‘environmental angle’, and you have a recipe for potential meh.  Still, the Anno franchise has always been a strong one, and with Blue Byte collaborating, we can expect good things, even if it wasn’t quite what we expected from an Anno sequel.  Next stop?  Anno Alpha Centauri, we’ll take a safe bet on that.

More details can be found on the official site.

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