Anno 117: Pax Romana Free Weekend Guide (April 23-27, 2026)

Ubisoft just kicked the gates open on its fastest-selling Anno title yet. Anno 117: Pax Romana is free to play from April 23 through April 27, 2026 on PC (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. You get the full base game, your progress carries over if you decide to buy, and the first major DLC drops just three days after the free window closes.

If you've ever been curious about the Anno series — or about city-builders in general — this is the cleanest entry point Ubisoft has offered in months.

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Free Weekend at a Glance

This isn't a demo. It's the complete base game with full multiplayer (PvP and co-op) unlocked for four days.

What You Actually Get in the Free Weekend

The free access includes:

• The full base campaign — rule as a Roman governor of both Latium (the Italian heartland) and Albion (Celtic wetlands)
• Sandbox and scenario modes — build freely or chase specific historical objectives
• Co-op multiplayer — team up with other governors to share trade routes and alliances
• PvP multiplayer — challenge rivals through strategic land battles and modular naval combat
• Full Hall of Fame cosmetic progression — any Fame Points you earn stay on your account

What's excluded: the paid Prophecies of Ash DLC launching April 30, which adds a new island (Cinis), a Vulcan deity, an obsidian resource, and an active volcano with eruption mechanics.

How to Start Playing (Per Platform)

The base game is roughly 60 GB, so start the download now if you want to play this evening:

• Steam: Visit the Anno 117: Pax Romana store page and click "Play Game" during the promo window
• Epic Games Store: Install from the store listing — no purchase required during the window
• Ubisoft Store / Ubisoft Connect: Add to library and install through Ubisoft Connect
• PlayStation 5: Search "Anno 117" on the PS Store — the "Play Free" option appears during the weekend
• Xbox Series X|S: Search the Xbox Store for the free trial entry

A Ubisoft Connect account is required across all platforms, including on Steam and PlayStation. If you don't have one, create it first — free and quick.

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What Is Anno 117: Pax Romana?

For anyone new to the series, here's the one-paragraph version. Anno 117 is a deep city-building strategy game set at the peak of the Roman Empire in 117 AD. You play a newly appointed governor managing two provinces — the Mediterranean-warm Latium and the rain-soaked Celtic Albion — each with its own culture, economy, and political pressure. Every decision flows back to three axes: your citizens' needs, the Emperor's demands from Rome, and your relationships with neighboring governors.

You can lean diplomatic (alliances, trade networks, embassies), economic (dominant production chains, monopolies on obsidian and grain), or military (modular naval combat, land battles, siege warfare). Most players mix all three. The game punishes min-maxers who forget their population, and it rewards patient builders.

The Reception

Anno 117 launched November 13, 2025 and has cleared 1.17 million players — the fastest-selling game in Anno franchise history. Critical reception has been strong:

• Metacritic: 84 Metascore
• OpenCritic: 83 top critic average, 91% of critics recommend
• Steam: 70% positive from nearly 11,000 reviews (Mixed label, though — largely driven by Ubisoft Connect account requirements and some launch-week performance issues since patched)

Three DLCs are planned through Year 1, with Prophecies of Ash kicking off the roadmap next week.

If You Buy: Prices and Editions

Here's where the math gets interesting. The free weekend exists partly to convert players, but base pricing is high enough that it's worth comparing options before you commit.

The standard edition is regularly available 15-20% cheaper through authorized key resellers than on official storefronts. Comparing prices across regions before you buy can save $10-15 easily, particularly on the Gold Edition if you plan to stick around for Prophecies of Ash and the two DLCs that follow.

Progress carries over, so there's no gameplay penalty to playing free first and buying later in the same weekend — or waiting until you find a deeper discount.

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Bonus: Free Cosmetics Through the Friend Referral Program

Ubisoft is running a referral program through May 17, 2026 that overlaps perfectly with the free weekend:

• 1 referral = 30 Fame Points
• 2 referrals = 50 Fame Points
• 3 referrals = 90 Fame Points

Fame Points redeem in the in-game Hall of Fame for cosmetic items, additional music tracks, and other unlocks. If you're an existing owner, this weekend is the easiest possible time to rack up referral rewards — every friend you pull in via the free window counts.

What's Coming Next: Prophecies of Ash (April 30)

The DLC dropping one week after the free weekend ends is substantial:

• Cinis — the largest island in Anno series history, added to the Latium region
• A new deity, Vulcan, who boosts your mines and unlocks new production chains
• Obsidian as a new resource for trading specialists
• Caecilia, a new trader character
• An active volcano with three gameplay phases: eruption, volcanic winter, and bloom

If you discover you like the base game during the free weekend, Prophecies of Ash is the natural next step — and it's included in the Gold Edition and Year 1 Pass, which is why that bundle gets compelling.

The Full Year 1 Roadmap

Should You Try It This Weekend?

Yes, if:

• You enjoy city-builders like Cities: Skylines II, Frostpunk, or previous Anno entries
• You like games with historical setting and political depth
• You want a weekend project that rewards patient, long-session play
• You're on PS5 or Xbox Series and have been curious about Ubisoft's PC-leaning strategy titles

Skip if:

• You don't enjoy games with heavy economic management layers
• You want instant-action combat (Anno's military is modular, slow, and strategic)
• You're on an older PC — the game has a heavy GPU and RAM footprint

Key Dates Summary

Four days, full game access, carry-over progress, and a $60 decision you can defer until after you've played. Download starts now.

Get the Best Price on Anno 117 →

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