Key Highlights:
- Anno Online entered open beta for English-speaking players on 14 May 2013.
- Ubisoft Blue Byte’s free-to-play browser game adapted the city-building and economic systems of the Anno series.
- The beta ended in September 2013, while the complete game remained operational until January 2018.
Ubisoft Blue Byte launched the English-language open beta for Anno Online on 14 May 2013, allowing players to access the free-to-play city-building game through a web browser.
The open beta followed an English closed test that began on 23 April. Existing testers retained their accounts and progress when the open beta started, while new players could register without requiring an invitation.
Anno Online adapted the economic and city-building structure of Anno 1404 into a persistent online game. Players began with a harbour and warehouse on an undeveloped island before constructing settlements, managing production chains and expanding their trading network.
The game used a free-to-play model with optional premium purchases. It did not require a traditional retail copy or separate paid version.
Ubisoft Blue Byte developed Anno Online, while Ubisoft published the browser game. Its open beta arrived three months before the Anno series celebrated its 15th anniversary in August 2013.
The beta period ended on 25 September 2013, when Anno Online moved into its full operational release. Ubisoft later expanded the game beyond browsers by releasing a Steam version in 2015.
Anno Online stopped receiving new content after Ubisoft ended active development in October 2016. The game subsequently entered maintenance mode before its servers, website and forums closed permanently on 31 January 2018.
The shutdown made Anno Online unplayable because its persistent cities and player accounts depended on Ubisoft’s online infrastructure.
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