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

Having seen great success in European markets, particular Germany, the Anno franchise has sold over five million units worldwide. "With the acquisition of Anno, Ubisoft reinforces its position in the real-time strategy market," said Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. "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."

Related Designs is currently working on a new Anno game, making it the first developer to head up two consecutive main entries in the series. As part of the deal, which is expected to close in the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2007, Ubisoft will also take a 30% stake in Related Designs.