Anno 2205 is an economy builder where the player has to supply an ever-growing populace with goods and services. The gameplay consists of constructing production chains, creating logistic routes and keeping gains and expenses in balance. It also contains separate real time strategy maps where players control a fleet of ships to attack or defend objectives.
It is set on an alternative earth in the year 2205, continuing the timeline from its predecessor Anno 2070. Energy and resources have become scarce, and players are tasked to create a corporation that aims to establish a moon base and solve the global energy crisis. Following the plot, they need to construct cities and bases in temperate and arctic regions before launching shuttles to the moon.