Ubisoft acquires German publisher

PALGN News | Anno franchise now owned by Ubi.

Ubisoft has announced today via a press release that it has completed an agreement to acquire German publisher Sunflower, owner of the popular strategy game Anno. As part of the agreement, Ubisoft will also obtain a 30% stake in Related Designs, the developer behind the recent Anno 1701 game, who are also currently working on a future Anno title.

"With the acquisition of Anno, Ubisoft reinforces its position in the real-time strategy market. Anno, along with Ubisoft’s The Settlers, is one of the most well known franchises in Germany, reaching a wide audience that includes not only traditional gamers, but also women and families. We are proud to add another top-quality brand to our rich portfolio and we are looking forward to bringing the brand to an even wider audience," stated Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft.

"I’m glad to confide Anno to Ubisoft," Mr Adi Boiko, co-founder of SunFlowers commented. "A company known for the innovation and creativity of its development teams. The brand will benefit from Ubisoft’s global strength, allowing new audiences to discover the pleasure of empire building through new Anno games."