Anno 117 Update 2.0 and Hippodrome DLC: August 20 Brings Big Changes

On August 20, Anno 117 receives its Update 2.0 and its second paid DLC at the same time. For mid-game players, the real question is not the photo mode: it is whether a monument covering the whole island can finally lift the Patricians’ satisfaction ceiling.

Update, October 26, 2026: Update 2.0 and The Hippodrome DLC did launch on August 20, 2026, as announced. The DLC is listed at €7.99 on Steam France, in line with the announced €8.

Update 2.0: New Features for Every Player

Update 2.0, rolled out to all Anno 117 owners, bundles several changes announced by Ubisoft Mainz on the Anno Union blog.

Photo mode. The postcard mode gives way to a free camera, with more angles, extra zoom, a time-of-day control and lens effects such as depth of field and tilt-shift. The developers call it a first version. Nothing gameplay-related, but if you spend time admiring your Roman colonies, the change is clear.

Note function. It returns at the community’s request. Notes can be dropped anywhere in the game world or attached to buildings and units, ships included, with timers that trigger a reminder. Pinning a reminder to a ship for its route or cargo priority is a real comfort in multi-island trade management.

Ubisoft Connect challenges. Rotating, time-limited challenges arrive on all platforms, PC and consoles, with Ubisoft XP and Fame point rewards. It is the first addition of this kind in Anno 117.

Field workers. Farms and plantations now show animated workers. The change is visual, but it makes farmland feel less static.

Heroic specialists. This is the addition that touches gameplay the most. Heroic specialists are a new rarity: each can exist only once per savegame, and their effects can cover the whole island. The blog cites Paldius, for example, whose bonuses involve cheese production. In the same spirit, the Amphitheatre’s buffs now apply island-wide instead of within a limited range.

The Hippodrome DLC at €8: What It Changes for Patricians

The Hippodrome is the first monument to fill your Patricians’ “Marvels” need. Its strategic difference from regular buildings: a single construction satisfies that need across the whole island, with no dependence on a local influence zone.

The monument also raises the attributes of affected buildings, with an effect that covers the whole island and grows with its Splendour level. Chariot races are the entertainment mechanic, fitting for the year 117 under Trajan. You pick a driver from your specialists, whose speed, stamina, sprint and reliability improve through racing. There are three race classes: amateur, classic quadriga and imperial. The bigger the race, the more it costs and the more Splendour points it earns.

The construction itself is heavy. Like other monuments, the Hippodrome is built in stages and demands a lot of granite, marble and mosaics.

For players stuck on Patrician satisfaction late in a game and looking for access through island monuments, the Hippodrome is worth watching. Weigh it more carefully if your game has not yet reached the Patricians’ second-tier needs: spending €8 on a monument you cannot build any time soon would be premature.

For the full context on the DLC and July’s patch 1.6.1, our analysis of the Hippodrome announcement still holds.

What to Watch Before August 20

The full patch notes will be published on August 18, two days before launch. That is where every balance change accompanying Update 2.0 will be detailed, such as production chains and population need balancing. Read them before deciding whether the DLC fits your current game.

Going further

• Anno 117: analysis of the Hippodrome DLC announcement and patch 1.6.1
• Anno 117 Pax Romana: the 2026 roadmap, from the Hippodrome to Dawn of the Delta
• All our Anno 117 articles