The trailer is available here
Paris, July 16, 2025 – As the video game Empire of the Ants continues to captivate players around the world, Microids and the studio Tower Five are thrilled to announce the release of the game's first major free update: Swarm Together.
Focused on replayability, strategy, and cooperative multiplayer, this update significantly enhances the gameplay experience with new modes, brand-new units, tactical powers, and numerous balancing and quality-of-life improvements. Designed to offer a renewed challenge in both solo and co-op play, Swarm Together marks a new milestone in the game’s evolution.
- GAME MODES
Horde Mode (Solo or Co-op)- Survive endless waves of ever-changing enemies. How long can you last?
- Story Challenge Mode
- Replay 6 scripted missions with a scoring system. Optimize your strategies to earn the highest score!
- Replay 6 scripted missions with a scoring system. Optimize your strategies to earn the highest score!
- 2 Players vs 2 AI Mode
- Team up and face off against two AI colonies on a brand-new map designed for large-scale battles.
NEW UNITS & POWERS
- New support unit: the Paussy
- A stealth unit capable of stealing resources from an enemy nest without being detected.
- New Power: Pheromone Storm
- Creates a fog that blocks vision and information within an area — perfect for surprise attacks.
QUALITY OF LIFE & BALANCING
- 3 new AI difficulty levels
- Fresh challenges for the most experienced players.
- New feature: Loadouts
- Create your favorite arsenals and select them based on the map before each match.
- Global Rebalancing:
- Aphids now grant a movement speed bonus.
- Snails move 30% faster.
- Dor beetles take 5 to 10% less damage.
- Hornets take 10 to 15% more damage from Gunners.
- “Information” upgrades are now cheaper and more effective.
AN IMMERSIVE SOLO CAMPAIGN
Play through a 20-hour-long campaign inspired by Bernard Werber’s bestselling saga, where the fate of your colony rests upon your antennae.
Choose your way to play, whether you’re looking for strategic combat and challenges or you prefer exploring the environment and fast-paced tactical missions.
DOMINATE THE ONLINE RANKED MULTIPLAYER
Challenge your friends in thrilling skirmishes or prove your strategy skills in player-versus-player mode: ranked 1-vs.-1 matchmaking and three free-for-all matches. Custom Private Lobby available to train your skills against a friend or AI. The multiplayer mode is cross-platform compatible, allowing players on all consoles to play together.
About Empire of the Ants
Immerse yourself in a miniature ecosystem in the heart of the Fontainebleau Forest. You play as the 103,683rd ant, determined to defend its colony.
In Empire of the Ants, every decision counts, every movement is strategic, and each conquest showcases your skill in navigating a world where the small are powerful! Strategy, exploration, combat, and alliances with local fauna are essential to overcome the many challenges awaiting players.
Developed by the La Rochelle-based Tower Five studio using Unreal Engine 5, the Empire of the Ants video game offers players a real-time strategic experience inspired by Bernard Werber’s iconic saga. Players will dive into an exhilarating adventure, tasked with growing an ant colony through tactical and strategic battles within a world of enormous scale. Strategy, exploration, combat, and alliances with local fauna are essential for overcoming the many challenges that await players.
“THE WORLD OF THE INFINITELY SMALL IS SET TO UNLEASH ITS GREATEST BATTLE”
Bernard Werber’s saga has captivated millions of readers worldwide with its fascinating universe and reflections on human nature. We’re thrilled to offer players the chance to experience this universe from a new perspective with this video game adaptation.
Empire of the Ants Key Features
EMBARK ON AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE – Take on the role of a courageous ant, from a third-person view, and discover unique abilities that will aid you in strategic battles and explorations.
A 3D REAL-TIME STRATEGY GAME WITH GRADUAL DIFFICULTY – The game provides an accessible experience with tutorials to teach newcomers the basics of RTS, while offering adjustable difficulty and advanced mechanics for seasoned players.
EXPLORE VAST ENVIRONMENTS AND ENCOUNTER LOCAL WILDLIFE – Traverse a photo-realistic forest, meet other ants and forest creatures along the way, and interact with them.
IMMERSIVE AND PHOTOREALISTIC – By pushing the boundaries of photorealistic effects, Unreal Engine 5 sets new standards, particularly for rendering plants and fauna.
SEASONAL STORYLINE – The game offers a storyline that follows the rhythm of the seasons, influencing fauna attributes like speed, resistance, and buffs.
SOLO CAMPAIGN & MULTIPLAYER: A STRATEGY GAME WITH PROGRESSIVE DIFFICULTY – Complete the story mode and extend your experience with intense online battles.
Empire of the Ants is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
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About Microids
Microids is a French video game publisher. Founded in 1985, Microids’ editorial strategy now focuses on four major areas: adventure games, racing games, retro gaming and games inspired by iconic titles. By collaborating with renowned studios and authors (Revolution Software, Pendulo Studios, Eden Studios, Benoît Sokal, Paul Cuisset, Philippe Dessoly and Pierre Adane), Microids has become a major player in international video games. Taking inspiration from legendary titles, Microids reaches a wide audience and creates original adventures which give gamers the chance to play as some of their most beloved characters.
About Tower Five
Tower Five, indie video game studio located in the charming coastal town of La Rochelle. Founded in 2017 by video game enthusiasts, each with their own area of expertise - art, technology and design, Tower Five is dedicated to creating engaging Real Time Strategy games for consoles such as PS5, Xbox and Switch.
Our founders, with more than 20 years of experience each, have combined their skills to bring a unique approach to video game development.
At Tower Five, we believe in creative freedom and responsibility towards our players. As a small-scale indie studio, we strive to create enriching and memorable gaming experiences for our community.
About Bernard Werber
Fond of drawing and writing, Bernard Werber published his first book, Empire of the Ants, in 1991. He went on to write two sequels, The Day of the Ants (1992) and The Revolution of the Ants (1996), making him one of the most popular science fiction novelists in France and across Europe during the 90’s. Bernard Werber created many other stories including renowned series like The Thanatonauts & The Explorers of Science and dipped his feet in the video game medium, collaborating with Microids on an adaptation of The Ants in early 2000.