- Anno 1800
- Console Edition
- Union Update
Union Update: Your questions about the Console Edition
- 02.02.2023
Hey everyone, hello Anno Community,
It’s been about two weeks since we unveiled the Anno 1800 Console Edition on Twitch, showing off what the team has been working on for while already. If you missed it, you can check out our full livestream here.
Both during and after the stream we have noticed a few questions popping up that we certainly want to answer – so, read on for more information on the console version. Let us know in the comments if there are any open questions left!
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And we have been filming another video this week, as you can see on the photo below. Stay tuned till late February, when some of our colleagues who worked on the Console Edition talk about the project.
Your frequently asked questions
On which platforms are you releasing Anno 1800 Console Edition?
Anno 1800 Console Edition will be available on PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X on March 16th, 2023. As we wanted to provide the best gameplay experience, we decided to use the power of the next gen consoles, with which we felt we can deliver the same experience without cutting corners or removing features.
What versions of the Console Edition are available? Is there going to be a physical version of Anno 1800 Console Edition?
You can choose between the Standard Edition, which includes the full base game, for 40€ and the Deluxe Edition, which includes three additional Cosmetic DLC (Amusements Pack, City Lights Pack, Pedestrian Zone Pack), for 50€.
The Standard Edition is available as physical version at selected retailers.
Find out more by following this link.
Are there any major differences between the PC and the console version?
The Console Edition includes the base game of Anno 1800 with all major free updates released for the PC version over the last 4 years. Our mission was to provide the full Anno 1800 base game experience on consoles. For this end, we reworked the complete UI and controls, and also added an extended tutorial as well as the ‘Annopedia’, an in-game wiki with information on all the game’s features and mechanics.
Does the Console Edition support Cross-play & Cross-progression?
The Anno 1800 Console Edition allows multiplayer matches with a maximum of 16 players, with up to 4 players per team in co-op mode. However, the console version does only support multiplayer between players on the same platform.
Cross-progression between Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 is supported.
What kind of input methods can I use with the Console Edition?
Our main focus during the development of Anno 1800 Console Edition was to achieve a smooth experience with a controller, for which the UI and controls were redesigned. It will therefore not support mouse and keyboard.
Since the PC version is optimized for mouse and keyboard input and for all the additional Season Pass DLC released there, we are currently not planning to add controller support to the PC version.
At what framerate will Anno 1800 Console Edition run?
Our focus for the Console Edition was to provide a smooth gameplay experience at all times considering the game’s complexity with large cities across two regions. The Console Edition therefore has a locked framerate of 30 FP on all consoles.
What are your plans for DLC content for the Console Edition?
For Anno 1800 Console Edition, we have decided to focus on the base game experience of Anno 1800 which already provides many hours of content, especially since we’ll be including the Free Game Updates that have been released for the PC version so far. Upon its release, the first 9 Cosmetic DLC that have already been released on PC will be available for purchase. The recently released “Dragon Garden” Pack as well as the three remaining Cosmetic DLC that are planned to be released in 2023 will become available later this year. There are no plans to release the Season Passes on console.
Did you stop further DLC development for the PC version (as you announced last year) because of the Console Edition?
No, the Console Edition is already in development since autumn 2021 and we continued releasing both content and free updates for PC since.
The team working on the Console Edition here at Ubisoft Mainz is made up of both veteran Anno developers, as well as new colleagues who joined us specifically for this project.
The plans to end main development for the PC version were independent from our plans for a version for console, as we felt that the PC version is in a good position with all the post launch content.
Are you already working on a new project, a new Anno game?
As we stated end of last year in our article on the future of Anno, part of the team is working on a new project that’s currently in an early conception stage. It’s too early to talk about it now but we’re always happy to read the ideas and wishes of our community.
Just a new consul player amazed at such a Beautiful game like this being teased but no future DLC so sad I am 70yrs cannot play on. Pc anymore and really wanted to play this game I was delighted to see it on my ps5, but to go to the extent of producing this game on console and not giving thought to dlc is really sad why go to all the bother to bring a 1/2 done version.
I am sure there would be many people including myself who would gladly purchase more content ie DLC’s
Physical limitations prevent me using the pc, I hope you will reconsider your decisions on future dlc, just as I would have to decide on any future purchases of new versions of anno, that might only be 1/2 done
Thanks for Reading
Solara
Hey Solara, glad to hear you’re enjoying Anno 1800.
However, do answer your question: As communicated right from the start when we announced the console version, we won’t be releasing any of gameplay DLC on console, I’m afraid. The Console Version contains the full base game of Anno 1800 (with the improvements and additions of 4 years of postlaunch from the PC version), so, we consider it a great package that can provide many hours of gameplay.
Porting DLC to the console version is a larger effort and unfortunately there are technical limitations for those consoles that we do not have in the same way on PC (e.g. amount of RAM available).
Bonjour pouvons-nous jouer entre une playstation 5 et une xbox s car je n’arrive pas à me connecter et je ne trouve pas comment faire pour qu’on puisse jouer moi et une autre personne
Hey fixapoin, multiplayer between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series is not possible; you will only be able to play with players on the same platform as you.
Let me get this straight. You have an image of someone using a computer with a controller and you’re not going to give it to us on pc? At least give us a menu option to switch between mk and controller controls.
You guys made the best couch relax game. The least you can do is give us official game pad support.
I refuse to buy this game if we don’t get the DLC. If other big strategy games like Stellaris can do it, this game can do it too. Even if it’s because of weaker hardware you can just downgrade the console version. Less people on the streets, less buildings, a smaller map or anything else. Stellaris did the same thing. More content is more important than those details.
Frustrating that the DLCs from Season Passes won’t be made available to console players. I was hoping that the expanded stories and worlds would be available to us as well, as I’m already burning through the game!
I was thinking of buying this console game to play on xbox series x, but seeing that it won’t have support, keyboard and mouse I’m not going to do it anymore. I want to play on the console and the use of the controller seems excellent to me, but they should give the option of using the keyboard and mouse on the console. My console in performance is better than my PC.
Really don’t understand why they can’t support M/K or DLCs cities skylines has come along way since realising on console just lazy and poor for the fans on console and PC. Hopefully this will be addressed in future updates.
“Since the PC version is optimized for mouse and keyboard input and for all the additional Season Pass DLC released there, we are currently not planning to add controller support to the PC version.”
This is unbelievably bad news. Controller support can bring so much accessibility to the game for so many people. Not just lazy dads like me who want to play anno while their 5 week old sleep on his pot belly. Please consider adding it in. It has been on my wish list (and I am sure a lot of other people) since the game’s launch. Seems like the elements will already be built, can’t you just program in a UI switch if the controller is enabled and vice versa for kb+mouse on console?
I agree 100%!
Had so much hope for controller support on PC. Now Anno 1800 remains on my Steam wishlist. Very sad…
Consloles have USB ports, they work with mouse and Keyboard. Not supporting that is a big mistake. It is not 1997 anymore.
I have pr-ordered the Standard Edition from my local retail shop but they are not offering the version with the extra content, why is that.
Thanks for addressing “gamepad for PC” question even, that the answer is NO. At least it was explained why and it is reasonable.
Anno 1800 got maximum love it possibly could from developers and it became absolute masterpiece!
As we enjoyed past 4 years history enough I would seriously love to see Anno following steps of 2205 but with same love as 1800 game play wise! Honestly to date I think that Anno 2205 is absolutely gorgeous and best looking Anno. If we get the chance to go to the future again maybe try to colonize Mars or terraform other planets (just an idea) it would be something new again rather than to re-create copy of 1800 just in another historical settings.
These are just my thoughts – or would anyone consider some maybe anniversary update for Anno 2205 with some unexpected expansion? That would be so cool but I am dreaming too much here 🙂
Anyway – I am sure I will love next Anno game regardless what settings it will be because Anno series are always best games for me!
Best of luck with future development guys!
There are many cool settings and ideas for potential new Anno games, for sure! And personally I’m also a big fan of sci-fi settings and enjoyed e.g. the trip to the Moon in 2205. We’ll see what the future brings – I’m afraid an expansion for Anno 2205 is not on the table, however 😉
Thank you, mrmajkl!
Thank you so much for your nice response! I am excited about where you bring us with next Anno game 🙂 What I really loved on Anno 2205 was the feel that I was really part of some huge project – building up my corporation, fulfilling the missions and mainly – the diversity of maps – each region was significantly different from one another (arctic/tundra and moon or orbital station – all gorgeous) – I’d love to see such region diversity in future Anno game as well as more tiers option on each map (so great that you bring 3rd tier to the New World in A1800 !!! Please keep this in mind for the future because it is nice to be able to develop each map more 😉 )
But once again – with Anno 1800 you gave us absolute game masterpiece and I understand why others are sad that it is over now – including myself but yes – I also feel that it is time for something new! 🙂
As the community wished for an Asia DLC that wasn’t featured in Anno 1800, I wish the region could be covered in an Anno 1909 game, that plays directly after the events of Anno 1800. Countries like Korea, Hong Kong, or Singapore reached independence in the mid-20th century and Anno could feature the development of such regions after gaining it. This could also be the foundation for a little stronger/more realistic story than previous games had.
I would also love to see the return of scenarios leaning to some real historical events of the time. These were a great addition to Anno 1800.
Hello Anno team!
I’m not going to repeat what many annoholics have been asking for for the last two seasons, Asia, because we won’t be able to play with this new region (the latest CDLC is great, but it’s not the same; it’s a cosmetic package).
So I’m going to propose something else for the future. I got to know the Anno saga around 2025 (I love science fiction), although I played very little (and I bought all the DLC!) because I didn’t know how to play Anno. Then I met 1404 and fell in love with Anno, whose gameplay (like 1800) I like better than 2205.
My proposal is an Anno 2205 (or another year in the future whose figures add up to 9), with a mechanic more similar to 1800 and with all the improvements and advances in the software that you have been implementing in 1800. As much as I like History Old, I’m not interested in playing Anno 9 or Anno -2430.
Yes, I will buy Anno -2430….
Yeah I hope they reconsider for the final season 5 where we get to go to Asia(Japan or China) Would really look nice to build an old hongkong 1800 style cities.