Ubisoft today announced revamped rereleases of four vintage games from the colony-building strat-o-sim series Anno, due in June. The Anno History Collection will bring new versions of Anno 1602, Anno 1503, Anno 1701, and Anno 1404 will newfangled fanciness including 4K resolutions and multiplayer matchmaking, all while preserving save compatibility.
Ubisoft explain that the new ‘History Edition’ of each game will support resolutions up to 4k, improve multiplayer running through Uplay with new features including matchmaking and desync recovery, bring them into 64-bit to shake off performance and stability problems like Anno 1404 running out of memory, and wham in the expansions and that. Anno 1503 didn’t have proper multiplayer before, and now it will. Surprisingly, they say saves from the original versions will be compatible with the new.
Because Ubisoft can’t resist dicking about, different games will be available on different stores. The new History Editions of Anno 1602 and Anno 1503 will only be sold on Uplay. Anno 1701’s revamp will be available on Uplay and the Epic Games Store. Then Anno 1404 History Edition will be sold on Uplay, the Epic Games Store, and Steam. The whole collection will only be on Uplay. Why, Ubisoft? Why.
Anno 1602, 1503, and 1701 will cost €10/$10 each. Anno 1404 will be €15/$15. The full collection will be €40/$40. They’re all due on June 25th.
Ubisoft Mainz, originally known as Related Designs, are working on these new versions. Related Designs made Annos 1701 and 1404 in the first place, having taken over from creators Max Design after 1602 and 1503.
Most of these predate RPS but we’ve snook a look or two. “This is the gaming equivalent of cooking a large, delicious, yet unadventurous evening meal,” old man Jim Rossignol concluded in our Anno 1404 review back in 2009. “It’s likely that most people won’t remember this game in a few years time, but it’ll nevertheless remain a quietly superb accomplishment.”
Tell me: how do you remember this dinner?