For decades, the Anno series has been known for its rich single-player city-building, meticulous economy management, and carefully crafted historical scenarios. But Anno 117: Pax Romana changes everything. For the first time in the franchise’s history, you can build your Roman Empire with friends, share the burden of governance, or test your economic strength in an intense competition for Mediterranean dominance.
Whether you want to co-manage a sprawling metropolis, challenge rival governors in PvP, or engage in massive team-based power struggles, Anno 117 delivers the most flexible and feature-complete multiplayer system ever seen in the series. This guide breaks down every mode, feature, limitation, and strategy you need to master before stepping into multiplayer Rome.
Multiplayer Modes Explained: Co-op, PvP, and Hybrid Team Play
1. Full Co-op Mode (Build a Shared Empire)
The flagship feature of Anno 117’s multiplayer.
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Up to 4 players share a single faction.
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Everyone has equal control over:
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treasury
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workforce
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islands
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fleets
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production chains
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Perfect for players who enjoy cooperative building without competitive pressure.
Community-Backed Co-op Roles:
Players often divide responsibilities to optimize efficiency:
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Logistics Governor – production chains, warehousing, trade routes.
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Military Prefect – naval expansion, defense, exploration.
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Urban Planner – city layout, culture, beautification.
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Merchant / Diplomat – diplomacy, resource buying/selling, relations.
Splitting roles avoids overlap and keeps your empire running smoothly.
2. Competitive PvP Mode (Classic Anno, High Stakes)
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Up to 4 independent factions (human and/or AI).
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Every governor races for land, resources, influence, and income.
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Engage in sabotage, naval conflict, and high-risk expansion.
This mode mirrors traditional Anno multiplayer, but with modern enhancements like more stable syncing and improved systems performance.
3. Hybrid Team Mode (Co-op + PvP Combined)
The most unique multiplayer structure:
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Create teams, with each team controlling one shared faction.
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Example: 4v4—each team of four players cooperates internally while competing against the opposing side.
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Allows large, socially rich multiplayer battles.
This system encourages both teamwork and rivalry—one of the most replayable multiplayer setups in Anno history.
How to Start a Multiplayer Session
Unified Setup Screen
A single screen handles both single-player and multiplayer setup:
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Invite players via Ubisoft Connect.
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Add AI opponents.
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Leave slots open for later.
Friend Game Option
Mark your lobby as a Friend Game to allow seamless drop-in for anyone on your Ubisoft Connect friends list—no invite required.
Campaign Co-op Support
For the first time in the series:
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The entire narrative campaign is playable in 4-player co-op with a shared faction.
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All story decisions and progression apply to the whole team.
Co-op Live Savegames — The Most Powerful Multiplayer Innovation
This feature solves the biggest scheduling problem in co-op games.
When enabled:
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Your session saves continuously to the cloud.
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ANY participant can continue the campaign or sandbox even if the original host is offline.
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Friends can drop back into the same save later.
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No waiting for the host. No lobby resets. No progress loss.
This is one of the features players praise most.
Multiplayer Performance & Stability
Anno uses a deterministic simulation model, meaning every participant must share identical game-state calculations.
Key takeaways:
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CPU power matters more than internet speed, especially for the host.
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If a player’s connection drops briefly, the game resyncs automatically.
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Fewer A.I. opponents mean lighter load on all machines.
Tip: Close heavy background programs if hosting large cities—simulation load can slow the entire group.
Multiplayer Setup Tips for a Smooth First Game
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Use balanced map seeds to avoid early resource unfairness.
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Disable pirates if your group is new to Anno.
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Enable shared visibility for faster coordinated expansion.
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Keep ship spam low early on to avoid CPU strain.
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Agree on roles before starting (urban planner, fleet commander, etc.).
These are the same principles veteran Anno players used successfully in past games like Anno 1800.
Multiplayer vs. Single-Player: Key Differences
Understanding these differences prevents confusion when transitioning between modes:
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No speed changes — time cannot be sped up.
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Active Pause is available — but time is frozen for everyone.
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Shared factions share everything — no private resources.
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Individual factions remain fully separate in tech, economy, and diplomacy.
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All players MUST have matching DLC and mods activated.
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Multiplayer requires external voice or chat tools (Discord, etc.)
Important Rules & Limitations
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Game speed is fixed to avoid desync.
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Active Pause allows strategic planning without time passing.
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No in-game chat (voice or text).
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Mod and DLC synchronization required across all participants.
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Up to four factions total (humans, AIs, or hybrid teams).
FAQs (High-Value SEO Section)
Can you play the campaign in co-op?
Yes—up to 4 players share a single faction through the entire story.
Can AI opponents join multiplayer?
Yes—fill open slots with AIs.
Do all players need the same DLC and mods?
Yes, everything must match for the session to work.
Does the game support in-game chat?
No—you must use external tools like Discord.
Does the host need to be online for co-op live saves?
No—any participant can continue the game.
Conclusion: The Future of Anno Is Collaborative
The age of the solitary governor is over. With full co-op, competitive PvP, hybrid teams, cloud-enabled co-op live saves, and a unified setup system, Anno 117: Pax Romana delivers a multiplayer experience worthy of its imperial setting.
Whether you’re coordinating an empire with friends, racing rivals for dominance, or engaging in massive team-based matches, this is the most social—and most flexible—Anno ever made.
Gather your allies, prepare your strategies, and build a Roman Empire that history will never forget.
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