Ara History Untold: Anniversary Edition

Ara History Untold: Anniversary Edition

Released Sep 2024

Build a nation starting at any point in human history and compete for supremacy in this epic turn-based strategy game. Engage in diplomacy, fight wars, and go head-to-head with other leaders from history.

68% positive · 2,303 reviews
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development
Not yet
Released, but still in active development
High confidence
Active Development

Where to buy

Steam $49.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
We couldn't confirm these stores carry this game.
Green Man Gaming Steam key Search IndieGala Steam key Search
Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site

Evaluation

Ara: History Untold launched on September 24, 2024 and has been under active post-launch development ever since. In May 2025, Stardock Entertainment formally announced it was assuming production management for the game's ongoing content, publishing a roadmap that outlined future updates and confirmed the game's first premium DLC. Since launch, the game has received six major updates: v1.1 "The Invisible Hand Update" (November 14, 2024), the v1.4 "Living Strategy Update" (June 18, 2025, alongside the Untold Scenarios paid DLC), the v2.0 "Revolutions Update" (September 24, 2025, on the game's first anniversary), a v2.02 balance and stability patch (October 30, 2025), a v2.1 preview build (March 18, 2026), and the full v2.1 update featuring the National Crafting Policy System (June 11, 2026). This consistent cadence — with major updates arriving every few months — demonstrates ongoing, substantive development. The most recent update shipped just ten days before today's assessment date. No end-of-development announcement has been made, and all four listed DLC items have been released. The developer has not announced any specific upcoming content beyond what has already shipped, but the sustained and recent update history makes clear the game remains in active development.
Evidence
v2.1 Update released, adding a National Crafting Policy System, 27 new Culture Traits, new Religious Verses, balance refinements, and stability improvements — the most recent major content release.
news post · Jun 11, 2026 source content shipped
high
v2.0 Revolutions Update released on the game's first anniversary, adding Culture & Influence systems, per-nation unique units, leader redesigns, AI overhaul, and map generation improvements.
news post · Sep 24, 2025 source content shipped
high

Content

4 of 4 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Achievements
45
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · PvP

About this game

Ara: History Untold is an evolution in historical grand strategy, featuring beloved classic PC strategy mechanics alongside innovative gameplay like a national crafting economy, true simultaneous turn resolution, a non-linear technology tree, and cloud-backed synchronous/asynchronous multiplayer - all with an expansive and vibrant presentation where you can zoom out from surveying the very edges of your empire all the way down to your citizens living their daily lives. In Ara, there are no pre-set paths to victory, leading to endless possibilities. Your choices will define the world you create, your experience, and your legacy. 

Explore an Immersive Living World: 
Explore a dynamic living world filled with life and charm across sweeping landscapes ranging from tropical jungles to sand-swept deserts as you discover the resources you need to develop your nation. Witness the world come to life in vivid, realistic detail as citizens move throughout the world and react dynamically to times of health and sickness, war and peace, wealth and despair with unique biomes, cultures, and eras representing the diversity of human experience. 

Build Your Nation: 
Serve your people and grow your prestige with numerous Improvements, from forges to libraries, citadels to cathedrals, public parks to industrial factories - as well as a global variety of the greatest architectural Triumphs ever conceived and built by human hands. 

Guide your people through the eras of human discovery: 

Nurture your people’s brilliance and invention as you progress your Nation through twelve unique Technology Eras, making the hard choices about where to focus your Nation’s greatest minds. As you near the end of each Era, you’ll have to decide how fast to push your scientists along the path to the future - at the risk of the present. 

Oversee a rich and detailed national economy: 
Harvest the bounty of the natural world and deploy the labor of your people with a depth-filled National Crafting system. Will you manufacture Amenities - like lavish feasts - to provide your cities and citizens with powerful benefits, or invest in the creation of Equipment - the weapons of war - to prepare your Armies to defend your nation or conquer your rivals?  Whatever paths you choose you’ll need to carefully optimize your resources and production to achieve the most efficient systems if you want to outpace your rivals to fortune and lasting glory. 

Rule Your Way: 
Choose from dozens of history's most influential figures to embody as you reshape the world through your choices. The unique and varied global Leaders and Nations in Ara emphasize a wide variety of different playstyles. Experiment with gameplay-impacting Traits and powerful Leader Abilities drawn from the effect they had on world history. Whether friend or foe, each Leader has a distinct personality based on their historical background that informs their AI behaviors. 

Grow your Nation: 
Extend your reach and expand your Nation’s borders through claiming new territory, conquering cities, spreading your Religion, or by expending Influence. How your Nation grows and defines new borders is up to you. 

Experience True Simultaneous Turns: 
Every turn each nation's actions and choices resolve simultaneously, leading to suspense, anticipation, unique outcomes, and surprising twists on the classic turn-based formula. The fate of your people will be determined by your decisions and your ability to predict your opponent’s next move, putting your skill as a leader to the ultimate test. 

Defend your people by land, sea, and air: 
Warfare in Ara is presented in the Living World, as thousands of years of military conflict reflect the progress and martial prowess of your people. Develop technologies to advance your weaponry against your rivals, hone your wartime economy and industry to gain the edge, and outthink your opponent’s strategies as maneuvers resolve authentically at once thanks to the power of True Simultaneous Turns. 

Prove Your Worth in Online Multiplayer: 
Combining the speed and surprise of True Simultaneous Turns with the power of the cloud - multiplayer in Ara is fast, seamless, and able to be enjoyed asynchronously with a wide range of options to tailor you and your friend’s experience to the way you want to play together. 

A Microsoft Account is required to play online multiplayer. 

Last evaluated Jun 21, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content