Somewhere along the way, city-building fans stopped treating these games like efficiency simulators and started treating them like digital architecture projects.
Ubisoft appears to be embracing that shift with Anno 117: Pax Romana. The newly released Blooming Cities cosmetic DLC adds more than 20 decorative pieces to beautify Roman settlements, but the update goes beyond paid content by giving all players access to new garden brushes while also teasing what’s next on the game’s roadmap.
All About The Blooming Cities DLC
Blooming Cities introduces a variety of decorative assets, including fig trees, cypress gardens, dandelion patches, wild poppies, ponds, aqueducts, fountains, and decorative walls.The standout addition is the Temple of Flora, a large centerpiece monument that the studio says will light up at night, giving players another way to showcase the prosperity of their cities.
The DLC also introduces an organic garden placement system that makes it easier to spread greenery naturally across islands rather than placing decorations one by one.
For players who treat city-builders like digital architecture simulators, it’s exactly the kind of toolset they’ve been asking for.
One detail that shouldn’t go unnoticed is that all players are getting something out of this update, even if they don’t purchase Blooming Cities.
Alongside the DLC, everyone receives access to two free landscaping brushes: Albion-themed and Latium-themed garden patterns.
Players can find them under the Landscaping Patterns section in the Ornaments menu and use them in all provinces.
It’s a relatively small addition, but it’s also a smart one. Decorative tools tend to become more valuable the longer players spend building and refining their cities.
Bigger Things Are Already On The Way
Blooming Cities may be available now, but the studio is already preparing larger content updates for Anno 117.
The upcoming Hippodrome DLC has entered its bug-fixing and polishing stage before moving into full testing and storefront validation.
Meanwhile, Dawn of the Delta is still deep in development, with developers working on expanding the tech tree, creating new building assets, and finalizing additional character portraits.
Ubisoft also confirmed Patch 1.6.1 is currently in the works, targeting issues involving rival-controlled islands, raider settlements, respawn timers for villa troops, and even a stubborn Numa Aquarius statue refusing to stay on its pedestal.
The Blooming Cities Pack is available now for Anno 117: Pax Romana on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Ubisoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
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