Anno 117 Game Director Talks Dawn of the Delta

Fans of city builders have plenty to look forward to as Anno 117 approaches its first anniversary. The upcoming Dawn of the Delta update wraps up Year One with major additions, including the brand new Egyptus region, new workforce types, and fresh supply chains. Game director Manuel Rheiner recently sat down to discuss what players can expect from this historically inspired expansion.

Designing Egyptus brought unique challenges for the development team. Rheiner explained that the team blended thousands of years of local Egyptian culture with the architectural style exported by the Romans. Players will be able to choose whether to romanize the region or stick to traditional ways, with buildings customized using local plants, colors, and materials to ensure everything fits the setting while remaining clearly Roman.

The geography of the new region also changes how players approach city building and trade. The delta features winding river arms, irrigation mechanics, and flooding challenges that alter available construction space. Traditional Roman galleys will struggle in these tight waterways, prompting the introduction of specialized reed ships that maneuver much more easily.

While the expansion is still in active development, the team is applying lessons learned from past projects like Anno 1800 to make river networks and irrigation feel rewarding. Players will need to balance coastline settlements for open sea trade with dedicated river transport fleets to optimize their supply chains. Stay tuned for more updates as the launch gets closer.