Ubisoft Sends Human-Sized Roman Statues to Streamers for Anno 117, Because Subtle Marketing is Dead
Ubisoft's marketing team for Anno 117: Pax Romana clearly decided sending out a simple email with a demo key wasn't dramatic enough. With the game launching in less than a month on November 13, 2025, and a demo already making the rounds, they've gone big – literally. They've commissioned and shipped out colossal, custom-made Roman banner statues to prominent content creators.
The recipients? German streaming legend Gronkh, strategy gamer Cringer, and Chinese content creator 稚嫩的魔法师. Each got a massive, 3D-printed statue featuring a unique banner seemingly designed just for them, perched atop Roman-themed bases complete with spears, helmets, dogs, and eagles.
Building Hype, Literally
These aren't desk toys either. These things, complete with their bases, are larger than a human. Gronkh's banner (far left) sports a purple flag with a salamander-like creature wreathed in gold and the Roman numeral XIV (14), topped with a fiery brazier and surrounded by Roman weaponry, suggesting a theme of fire or valor. Cringer's (middle) features a striking blue banner with a Spartan-style helmet within a laurel wreath, the Roman numeral LXIII (63) above, and two marble dogs at the base, clearly representing a warrior or guardian faction. 稚嫩的魔法師's banner (right) is a bold red, displaying intricate Chinese characters reading "總督" (Zǒngdū), meaning Governor-General or Commander-in-Chief, under a powerful golden eagle.
It’s a hell of a statement piece, probably requires its own zip code, maybe reinforced flooring. Forget unboxing videos; these guys might need forklift tutorials.
From IRL Ornament to In-Game Bling
The cool part for the rest of us plebeians? Ubisoft has apparently confirmed that these unique banner designs won't just be collecting dust in streamers' mansions (or storage units). They'll also be available as cosmetic ornaments within Anno 117: Pax Romana itself. So, soon you too can pledge allegiance to Gronkh's fiery salamander or Cringer's loyal hounds within your burgeoning Roman empire.
It's certainly a more memorable marketing stunt than a targeted ad campaign. With the release date firmly set for November 13th and a demo already out, seeing Ubisoft invest this heavily in custom, larger-than-life swag shows they're pulling out all the stops for their Roman city-builder. Now, if they could just send me one... Maybe I'll start streaming the demo.