Anno 1404: Venice is an expansion for Anno 1404, adding a Venetian setting to the base game’s blend of city building, commerce, discovery, diplomacy, and combat. Its focus is on extending the strategy and simulation with new ways to shape trade and power, while retaining the broader goal of building a nation and expanding an empire.
The expansion introduces two Venetian trading ships, the small and big tradesman cog, alongside secret cabinets for infiltrating rivals and sabotaging their growth. Players can also influence city council boards to take control of enemy cities. New challenges include trading races and ship boarding, as well as a volcanic island to discover and exploit. The package also describes new scenarios, achievements, medals, quests, and items.
Multiplayer is another notable addition: the expansion supports competitive play for up to four players and cooperative play for up to eight. Rather than simply adding a new backdrop, Venice gives the established city-building and trading framework a sharper emphasis on political maneuvering, covert interference, and competition at sea. Its new mission types and island setting broaden the strategic choices within Anno 1404’s larger empire-building premise.
