As players build their Roman legacy, the cost of peace will be theirs to decide in Anno 117: Pax Romana

Sydney Australia – May 20, 2025 – Today, Ubisoft revealed Anno 117: Pax Romana first gameplay details as the genre-defining builder franchise returns with its most ambitious instalment yet and one of the biggest games ever made about the Roman Empire.  

Players will embark as a freshly appointed governor, sent by the Emperor to build and lead several provinces across the Empire, from the beautiful heartlands of Latium to the mysterious Celtic wetlands of Albion. Anno 117: Pax Romana will launch later in 2025 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X | S, Amazon Luna as well as Windows PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect. 

BECOME A LEGENDARY ROMAN GOVERNOR 

Players will be able to build the cities of their dreams during the height of the Roman Empire. From where to place their starting villa to how diligently they send taxes back to Rome, players must balance their people’s needs with their emperor’s demands. Cooperate with other governors through trade and diplomacy or—if they prefer—prove their military prowess by challenging rivals with strategic land battles and modular naval combat. They may even defy the Emperor himself—but not without consequences. 

CHOOSE THE FATE OF YOUR PROVINCES 

Every choice players make as governors matters. Will players embrace local Celtic culture or impose Roman traditions? From architectural styles to which gods to worship, the degree to which players Romanize their provinces is up to them. Will they foster growth through diplomacy and deep economic ties or expand their territory through military might? Will they loyally serve the Emperor or foment rebellion? Their decisions will shape not only the future of their citizens and their provinces, but their own story as well. 

EXPERIENCE THE PREMIER BUILDER GAME 

Players build their provinces with unprecedented scale, detail, and flexibility. From kids chasing dogs through the streets to thousands cheering on the spectacles of the colosseum, players will take their provinces from a single settlement to multiple eternal cities across several provinces. From islands on the horizon to distant mountains, players can build upon almost any terrain they see— all with a graphical quality that is the benchmark for the genre. 

Developed by Ubisoft Mainz, Anno 117: Pax Romana is a premiere builder game in which every facet of your city can be controlled; and how players will choose to build and govern will shape their story, their citizens’ destiny, and their provinces’ future. In this immersive and authentic world, where the cost of peace is for players to decide. 

Anno 117: Pax Romana will release in 2025 with cross-play and cross-progression on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X | S, Amazon Luna as well as Windows PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect.   

For more information about Anno 117: Pax Romana, and to stay up to date regarding future live phases, please visit the Anno Union website.  

For the latest news on Anno 117: Pax Romana and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.  

Development of Anno 117: Pax Romana is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action within the framework of computer games funding. 

About Ubisoft  

Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. With a Ubisoft+ subscription, players can access new releases, premium editions and extra content on Day One on PC, console and cloud. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com. 

© 2025 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries. 

About Ubisoft Mainz

The teams at Ubisoft Mainz engineer some of Ubisoft’s biggest blockbusters. Operating from a historic city in the center of Germany, the studio develops games pushing the limits of the genre like the acclaimed Anno series with the upcoming Anno 117: Pax Romana and lends decades of expertise to AAA co-development projects like the Esports phenomenon Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege and the upcoming Beyond Good and Evil 2. Ubisoft Mainz is part of the Ubisoft Blue Byte studio network. More information at https://mainz.ubisoft.com. 

RIGA, LATVIA – 19 May 2025 – Hide The Corpse, the chaotic and quirky VR body-hiding sandbox from publisher HyperVR Games and developer Realcast, introduces an array of game-altering modifiers with the launch of the “Modifiers Update” on Meta Quest today.

Hide The Corpse tasks players with stashing a body in one of six stages during a four-minute window. Drag, drop, and maneuver Gus the corpse across levels filled with themed physics objects. Shuffle the body through a cluttered Apartment, turn the Museum into a hidden mausoleum, overcome water physics to find a good hiding spot in a Shipwreck, and more in an unpredictable and always entertaining VR experience.

The “Modifiers Update” brings new physics challenges to the forefront. Combine and stack new modifiers to alter scoring and challenges across each level. To access the modifiers, interact with the new Modifier selector next to the level doors.

The following modifiers are available in the update:

• Gas Crisis: Gus the Corpse farts randomly during the four-minute countdown, propelling his body and any nearby objects forward with chaotic momentum.
• Flubber: Gus and other physics objects bounce off surfaces, making movement unpredictable.
• Saturday Slip Fever: Now covered in oil, Gus slides through the level, requiring careful control.

In addition to the modifiers, today’s update also includes changes to the Wardrobe door, adds a dedicated door for level selection, and implements various improvements to game flow and visual polish.

Hide the Corpse’s “Modifiers Update” is now available on Meta Quest devices as a free update. The game is available on the Meta Quest Store for USD 14.99, with SteamVR and PSVR versions launching soon.

For more information about Hide The Corpse, check out the Meta Quest page. Follow HyperVR on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and join the Discord community today! 

About HyperVR Games

HyperVR Games is a virtual reality game development and publishing company based in Riga, Latvia, focused on creating immersive and interactive casual experiences. Its titles include Shave & Stuff, Pets & Stuff, Titans Clinic, and Hide the Corpse.

To stay up-to-date on all things HyperVR Games, join the team’s Discord, visit its official website, and follow the studio on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

KRAKOW, Poland – May 19, 2025 – Following the success of the highly successful SILENT HILL 2 remake, Polish horror game developer Bloober Team is ready to terrify once again with Cronos: The New Dawn, launching later in 2025. The studio has just signed a distribution deal with Sapphire Entertainment Co., Limited to bring the digital version of the game to PC and Mac players across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

In addition to the distribution of Cronos, the agreement also includes the release of Bloober Team’s previously critically acclaimed games, such as Observer: System Redux (2020), The Medium (2021), and Layers of Fear (2023), expanding the studio’s footprint in key Asian markets that are becoming increasingly receptive to the survival horror genre.

Announced in October 2024, Bloober Team unveiled Cronos: The New Dawn, a third-person survival horror game set across two distinct timelines: the decaying ruins of a dystopian future and the harsh realities of 1980s Poland. Cronos immerses players in the crumbling district of New Dawn, a setting inspired by the real-life Nowa Huta.

Blending psychological horror, time travel, and survival mechanics, Cronos: The New Dawn introduces a chilling new IP that’s already generating buzz among genre fans. The game’s recent gameplay trailer unveiled a unique survival horror mechanic: “Don’t Let Them Merge.” This feature reveals that enemies don’t stay dead—if not burned, fallen monsters can be reabsorbed, evolving into faster, more deadly abominations with new abilities.

“We are thrilled to introduce our titles to new players across Asia,” said Piotr Babieno, CEO of Bloober Team. “Titles like Observer, The Medium and Layers of Fear are among our most well-known horror games, and they were very well received in both Europe and the US. Now, we’re incredibly excited to share our new game Cronos: The New Dawn to an even wider audience. We’re especially eager to see how players respond to our survival horror experience set in 1980s Poland—a setting that may feel both exotic and intriguing to players in other parts of the world. The atmosphere is deeply immersive. Fans of true survival horror will find a lot to appreciate in what we do best: crafting a dark, chilling world with a compelling narrative and intense combat mechanics, enhanced by our unique merging system. We can’t wait to give players from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan the opportunity to experience it for themselves.”

Cronos: The New Dawn is scheduled for release in 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®5, and PC via Steam. For more information go to www.cronosnewdawn.com.

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About Bloober Team:

Founded in 2008, the Kraków-based studio Bloober Team specialises in creating deep and immersive horror games. With a team of over 250 creative specialists, the studio continuously pushes the boundaries of storytelling, delivering rich and complex narratives to players worldwide.

The studio’s award-winning portfolio includes titles such as the Layers of Fear series, Blair Witch, Observer: System Redux, and The Medium. Bloober Team’s most recent project, developed in collaboration with Japanese publisher KONAMI, was the highly anticipated remake of the iconic horror game SILENT HILL 2. The game has received widespread acclaim, earning positive reviews and numerous nominations and awards, including Game of the Year at the Horror Game Awards and Best Game of 2024 by IGN Japan.

In October 2024, the studio announced its newest title – Cronos: The New Dawn – a sci-fi survival horror set to launch in 2025.

Learn more about our projects by visiting our official website: www.blooberteam.com.

Anniversary Celebrations for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Kick Off

CD PROJEKT RED proudly marks 10 years of killing monsters with a special anniversary trailer and live stream — as well as partnerships, events, and more surprises to come — all commemorating a decade since the launch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Snapshot:

• An anniversary trailer for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been released, presenting a memory-laden look at the game’s story and thanking the game’s community for being a part of this special journey.
• Geralt’s voice actor Doug Cockle joined the anniversary episode of REDstreams and reminisced on his role as the White Wolf.
• The Witcher in Concert begins its anniversary celebrations with upcoming concerts in Boston and Poznań ahead of the official tour kickoff at gamescom in August.

Further celebrations include a series of 10 artworks from long-time Witcher artists, the release of The Little Witcher, and a collaboration with Embody on the Immerse Gamepack — with more announcements to come!

Originally released 10 years ago on May 19, 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a critically acclaimed open-world role-playing game where players take on the role of monster slayer for hire Geralt as he travels the war-torn Northern Kingdoms in search of his adopted daughter Ciri. With over 50 million copies sold — and over 75 million of the entire Witcher series of games — it has cemented its legacy as a timeless dark fantasy story. The community that has developed around the game since launch continues to grow even a decade later, and to celebrate both The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s enduring legacy and the game’s outstanding community, CD PROJEKT RED released a special trailer.

Celebrations also included an anniversary edition of REDstreams, which took place today and featured Geralt’s voice actor Doug Cockle, alongside English Adaptation Director Borys Pugacz-Muraszkiewicz. The voice actor took a walk down memory lane, reminiscing on his time as the voice of Geralt, his experience with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and how the role has impacted him over the years.

The Witcher in Concert is also gearing up to introduce attendees to a one-of-a-kind live event featuring an ensemble orchestra and a blend of cutting-edge visuals and gameplay. Two anniversary celebrations are planned: Boston on May 31 and Poznań on June 15. All of this will lead up to the official tour kickoff at gamescom in Cologne on August 20, with tickets for the European leg of the tour already available for purchase on the official Witcher in Concert website. New dates and locations will be revealed in the future, with newsletter subscribers receiving access to all official pre-sales.

Additional surprises await — including a series of specially commissioned artworks from 10 different artists who have left a mark on The Witcher series, from Przemysław “TRUST” Trusciński, who designed Geralt’s original appearance in the first game, to Grzegorz Przybyś who created artwork for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s opening scenes. All printed on Displate’s signature metal canvas. The artworks will also be available on T-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise.

The recently released Immerse Gamepack from Embody also brings personalized spatial audio for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt players, with those who already own the Cyberpunk 2077 Gamepack from Embody receiving a free unlock of the new product.

The world of The Witcher is further expanded by the release of The Little Witcher, a delightful collection of comics written by the creative minds behind the best-selling video game series. It follows the story of Geralt of Rivia as he raises young Ciri in Kaer Morhen, providing a lighthearted twist on a beloved game. Published by Random House Worlds, The Little Witcher is available for purchase in hardcover or ebook formats.

All this is just the beginning of the celebrations — more surprises for the community are yet to be revealed. To stay up to date on the latest announcements, follow The Witcher on Facebook, Instagram, X, Bluesky, and the official website.

About The Witcher franchise

Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of dark-fantasy role-playing games that has, to this date, sold over 75 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1,000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, was released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and later in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch. In 2022, a next-gen update for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5 was released. Overall, the game has won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and sold over 50 million copies worldwide. The upcoming open-world RPG The Witcher IV marks the beginning of a new saga, focusing on main character Ciri as she embarks on the Path to become a professional monster slayer. The Witcher games are set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.

About CD PROJEKT RED

CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for PCs and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include the futuristic RPG Cyberpunk 2077, its spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, and The Witcher series of games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its two expansions. CD PROJEKT RED also created the award-winning Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, set in the same universe as the game. Other games developed by the studio include Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales and GWENT: The Witcher Card Game. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).

The roguelike deckbuilder adds German language support

[South Korea, May 16th, 2025] – Flyway Games’ historical yet fantastical roguelike deckbuilder Commander Quest has received a new update adding German language support. Released in April, Commander Quest has had several patches to address minor issues, but this newest patch marks the first time new content has been added to the game. With the new update, German players will be able to enjoy Commander Quest in their native language as they take on the role of famous historical leaders in intense card-based battles. This serves as a thank you to German players who are the third largest group of players of Commander Quest. 

Key Features: 

• Various Races and Commanders: Become historical heroes and imbue the soul of legendary warriors into the bodies of different races while leading your army through a cute but brutal fantasy world.
• Strategic Deck Building: Grow your deck with battle rewards, through shops and randomized events, and more as you make key world decisions that will shape your run.
• Dangerous Battles: Summon units by placing cards on the battlefield and then watch them come to life as they fight enemy dragons, spiders, and more. 
• Unlock New Cards: The end of a run is just the beginning – after your run is scored, gain experience points and level-up races and commanders to unlock new cards, relics, and skills. 

If you’re ready to defeat the Absolute and bring peace back to this unique fantasy realm, Commander Quest is available right now! You can also join the official Discord server to stay up to date on all things Commander Quest.

About Flyway Games

Flyway Games is a South Korea-based studio under the Krafton umbrella. It aims to earnestly provide new experiences that players have never seen before, empowering the unique and great potential of each of its developers. Beyond platform, genre, and style, Flyway games produces games cultivated by creativity first, prioritizing user feedback to build games its players want to get lost in. It is best known for games like Commander Quest and Trinity Survivors, and is working on two announced games: Waltz and Jam and Ascend to ZERO.

Solo dev’s single-player release brings the fear and the frog-based humor

Austin, Texas (May 19, 2025) – Solo developer and writer Elliott Dahle is toad-ally delighted to announce that horror action game Frog Legs is now available on PC via Steam. Short, single-player and story-driven, it follows an ordinary suburban house frog trying to run, jump, and leap away from his past. 

In a ribbit-ing adventure, follow Carl and his pals as they try to live normal amphibian lives but are haunted by a devastating traffic-hopping incident that occurred many years ago. Left with no choice, our froggy friends must confront the past and try to put a stop to the chaos without them croaking first.

Between 2D arcade-style gameplay and some boomer shooter action, our group will uncover why the past is coming back to get them now. Cross perilous roads, solve puzzles and cryptic clues, and blast enemies with a Big Froggin’ Gun. Frog Legs is packed with humor and (literal) jumpscares across its 30-60 minute playtime. 

Key Features of Frog Legs

• An Un-Frog-ettable Experience: Carefully crafted by an experienced horror fiction writer, Frog Legs’ story can be completed in an hour. 
• Putting the Jump Into Jumpscare: Prepare for amphibian scares and classic style spooks.
• Down the Ribbit Hole: Alongside amphibious pals you’ve been friends with since you were tadpoles, solve puzzles and investigate why the past has come back as an unfriendly reminder. 

Frog Legs is available now on Windows PC via Steam for $2.99 USD, £2.49 GBP, and €2,99 EUR. It is available with a 15% launch discount for two weeks. MacOS and Linux versions are coming soon.

About Elliott Dahle

Experienced horror and sci-fi writer Elliott Dahle has been developing games since 2019. Dahle’s previously released projects include the viral PSX-style horror hit The Man in the Park. The solo developer is continuing the run of concise, yet terrifying titles with Frog Legs.

Prepare to embark on a magical journey of friendship, imagination, and song as the Kickstarter campaign for Echoes of the Unread, a brand new adventure for the NES, is now live.

Developed by Clever Cat Games and published by Mega Cat Studios, Echoes of the Unread puts players in the shoes of Rhapsody, a young girl who, after falling asleep while studying in the library, awakens to a strange world where the books have come to life and her voice has the power to shape the world around her with song.

To find her way back home, Rhapsody must step into the pages of these tales and explore a variety of imaginative realms where they’ll befriend a cowboy, serenade a mermaid, outsmart a mischievous ghost, and sing mystical melodies to escape the clutches of the wicked magician Odele, who hopes to keep her trapped in the library forever.

To celebrate the Kickstarter’s launch, Mega Cat Studios has released a new trailer for the game. This exciting new footage offers a tantalizing look at the various worlds Rhapsody will explore, Odele’s menacing minions she’ll encounter, and the colorful cast of characters she’ll befriend over the course of her enchanted adventure.

Key Features:

• Sing to solve puzzles, battle foes, and uncover secrets
• Journey through whimsical worlds inspired by book genres
• Unlock magical abilities that will aid you in your quest
• Befriend quirky characters and shape your own story
• Test your skills in a challenging retro mode

Backers can get their hands on a wide selection of enchanted rewards. These range from all-digital bundles featuring the game, art book, OST, and more to the Hidden Book Edition, which comes filled to the brim with a treasure trove of physical goodies, including the Limited Edition CIB game, poster, vinyl soundtrack, art book, shadow box art, decorative bookends, and so much more. 

About Mega Cat Studios

Proudly based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mega Cat Studios has a passion for creating unforgettable retro experiences for your favorite classic consoles. 

London, United Kingdom – 20th May 2025 – The excitement reached new heights as young primary school footballers from across the nation came together at Stoke City Stadium for the finals of the 2025/26 Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup. After a spectacular season that saw over 50,000 children from primary schools take part, the winners were crowned National Champions and lifted the trophy whilst cheered on by Pikachu. 

Now in its third year, the multi-year partnership between the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) and The Pokémon Company International continues to flourish—and this season the tournament wasn’t just about competition—it was about community, teamwork, and friendship. Players showed off their impressive football skills, grew closer with their teammates, and made countless memories along the way. 

The 2025/26 National Finals winners are: 

• U11 Schools’ Cup Champions: Wolfson Hillel Primary School 
• U11 Girls’ Cup Champions: Valley Gardens Middle School 
• U11 Small Schools’ Cup Champions: Kelsall Community Primary School 

“The energy at this year’s Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup Finals was nothing short of inspiring. From the first whistle to the final celebration, these young players brought heart, determination, and incredible talent to the pitch. It’s moments like these—where teamwork, joy, and community come together. Congratulations to everyone who took part this season,” said Peter Murphy, Senior Director of Marketing at The Pokémon Company International.  “We’re proud to continue our work with the ESFA, helping to create spaces where children can thrive, connect, and fall in love with the beautiful game.”  

Nick Loftus, ESFA Chair said, “It has been a great pleasure for me to be involved with the Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup from its origins in the district round, to the County round, Regional finals and now today the National finals. To see football played by boys and girls in our primary schools in such a good spirited way has been incredible, the attitude of the players in the primary schools’ cup competitions that I’ve had the privilege of watching this season has been exemplary. Pupils have played with smiles on their faces and clearly enjoyed the whole experience. On behalf of the ESFA I would like to congratulate the three winners from today’s final and thank all of the schools that took part in the Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup competitions this season and I hope each and every player has been inspired to continue on their footballing journey as they head towards the new school year”. 

The U11 Schools’ Cup, U11 Girls’ Cup and U11 Small Schools’ Cup competitions provide a pathway for teams to progress through three rounds of competition, culminating in the National Finals.  

The Pokémon Company International is on a mission to delight their fans through excellent products and meaningful experiences. Through initiatives like the Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup, there is continued support of the development of young talent while spreading joy and connection through sport. 

Schools who would like to join the action in the 2025/206 season can contact their local County Schools’ FA to get involved in next year’s local rounds. More information can be found here.  

About Pokémon   

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.  

About the English Schools’ FA 

Since its formation in 1904, the English Schools’ Football Association has become the National Governing Body for Schools’ Football in England. The Association provides over 1 million footballing opportunities for school pupils in England, each year.    

The Association generates footballing activity for around 700,000 children across the country each season, with over 100,000 pupils taking part in National Schools’ Cup competitions. The ESFA consistently works to create new and improved opportunities for schools’ football players in England, whilst working hard to create equal and inclusive access to the sport, in particular its provision of girls’ football.  

The ESFA prides itself on its educational ethos and it values the importance of football in the classroom as much as on the pitch with the Association creating plenty of opportunities to celebrate all the wide-reaching benefits of Schools’ Football. For more information about the ESFA and its many campaigns, including Schools’ Football Week, you can visit the ESFA website or follow @schoolsfoootball on Twitter and Instagram