The Settlers History Collection

The Settlers History Collection is a PC strategy simulation bundle that gathers seven modernized entries from Blue Byte's long-running settlement-building series. Ubisoft's current storefront still uses The Settlers History Collection for the complete package, while the individual products are sold as History Editions through Ubisoft Connect, the launcher formerly known as Uplay.

This is not one remastered campaign or a single unified game. It is a curated set of seven standalone historical strategy experiences, each with its own economy, interface, progression model, missions, and multiplayer options.

Seven approaches to medieval settlement strategy

The collection spans The Settlers from 1993, The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici, The Settlers III, The Settlers IV, The Settlers: Heritage of Kings, The Settlers: Rise of an Empire, and The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom.

Across the series, the central loop is built around territory expansion, resource gathering, production buildings, roads, storage, and the steady movement of goods through a living settlement. Mines, farms, workshops, military structures, and residences must work together rather than exist as isolated constructions.

The perspective is generally isometric or overhead, with real-time management instead of turn-based planning. You establish a settlement, improve its economy, unlock military or civic options, and respond to map objectives or neighboring factions.

Players looking for a modern automation-focused city builder may find the closest structural comparison in economic settlement builders such as Factory Town, although The Settlers places more emphasis on historical campaign scenarios, territorial control, and combat.

Why the series plays differently from game to game

The earliest entries concentrate on logistics networks and the physical flow of goods. Roads, flags, carriers, and production chains determine whether a settlement can sustain growth. The satisfaction comes from watching a carefully planned economy operate without bottlenecks.

The Settlers II is particularly focused on classic settlement logistics, exploration, and territorial expansion. Its History Edition includes the base game and the Mission CD, while the PC version adds adjustable game speed, autosave, high-resolution support, and split-screen input options.

The Settlers III and The Settlers IV push further into faction-based real-time strategy. Their packages include mission content and additional expansions, with military conflict, different cultures, and larger production systems competing for attention alongside town development.

Heritage of Kings shifts the balance toward a more conventional RTS structure, with stronger emphasis on heroes, combat, missions, and direct battlefield control. It remains part of the same collection, but it should not be treated as interchangeable with the slower logistics-driven games.

Rise of an Empire makes the settlement feel more personal through named characters, civic development, and a more detailed town-building presentation. The Settlers 7 adds clearer strategic choices around victory paths, territory, trade, technology, and diplomacy, making it the most structured late-series entry in the bundle.

Content included in the collection

The commercial appeal is straightforward: this is a paid bundle containing all seven main games in their History Edition forms. It is not a free-to-play product, and the collection is not organized around a season pass or rotating live-service content.

Ubisoft's package includes the major expansion content associated with the individual editions. That includes The Settlers II Mission CD, The Settlers III Mission CD, Quest of the Amazons, The Settlers IV Mission CD, and The Trojans and the Elixir of Power.

The later entries also include their listed expansions and downloadable content. Heritage of Kings includes both of its expansions, Rise of an Empire includes The Eastern Realm, and The Settlers 7 includes all available DLC associated with its History Edition.

Each game launches as a separate title rather than as chapters inside a shared menu. That makes the bundle useful for sampling the series, but it also means the interface, controls, campaign structure, and multiplayer behavior can change substantially between entries.

Who should play The Settlers History Collection

This collection suits PC players who enjoy economic strategy, medieval town construction, historical RTS design, and campaigns where a strong supply chain matters as much as battlefield strength.

It is also a good fit for series historians. The seven games show how Blue Byte moved from compact logistics simulations toward hero-led RTS missions and more explicit strategic victory systems.

Players who prefer a modern gridless medieval builder may instead want a newer production system such as organic medieval city building in Foundation. Foundation offers a more unified modern design, while The Settlers History Collection is valuable because of its breadth and historical contrast.

The bundle is less suitable for anyone expecting one consistent ruleset, shared progression, or a contemporary quality-of-life overhaul across every title. The History Editions improve compatibility and selected features, but they preserve the identity and limitations of their original games.

PC features, launcher, and localization

The collection is designed for Ubisoft Connect on PC. A Ubisoft account and the Ubisoft Connect application are required for activation and access, so this is not a DRM-free package and should not be confused with the separate classic editions sold through other storefronts.

Modernization varies by game. Ubisoft lists Windows compatibility improvements across the collection, while selected entries add high-resolution support, autosave, dual-monitor support, updated mouse and keyboard handling, or controller support.

The original History Edition includes an option to switch between classic RTS controls and a more modern control approach. The Settlers II specifically supports mouse, keyboard, and controller combinations for its split-screen mode.

The Settlers III and The Settlers IV are notable for dual-monitor support and online multiplayer through the historical Uplay service. The collection's multiplayer features are not identical across all seven games, so buyers should treat multiplayer as title-specific rather than as a single shared online system.

The current store listing identifies English, French, and German for audio, interface, and subtitles. Localization can still vary between individual games and regions, making the storefront language table worth checking before purchase.

How to choose a starting point

Start with The Settlers II if you want the clearest expression of classic logistics, road planning, exploration, and settlement expansion.

Choose The Settlers III or The Settlers IV for faction variety, real-time combat, mission content, and a stronger competitive strategy layer.

Pick Heritage of Kings if you prefer hero-driven RTS campaigns, or Rise of an Empire if you want a more characterful medieval town simulation with a stronger civic focus.

The Settlers 7 is the best entry point for players who want the series' most explicit strategic framework, including multiple routes toward victory and more formalized map objectives.

The Settlers History Collection FAQ

What is the current name of the collection?

The current Ubisoft Store product remains The Settlers History Collection. Its seven component games are listed individually as History Editions, and the collection is accessed through Ubisoft Connect rather than the older Uplay branding.

Does the collection include all seven main Settlers games?

Yes. It includes The Settlers, The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici, The Settlers III, The Settlers IV, Heritage of Kings, Rise of an Empire, and The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom.

Are the expansions included?

Yes. Ubisoft describes the package as including the major expansions and downloadable content attached to the seven History Editions, including mission CDs, Quest of the Amazons, The Trojans and the Elixir of Power, The Eastern Realm, and the listed DLC for The Settlers 7.

Is it one game with a shared campaign?

No. The collection contains seven separate games. Each has its own campaigns, scenarios, controls, economy, interface, and progression structure.

Does every game support multiplayer?

No single multiplayer format applies to the whole bundle. Support varies by entry, with split-screen documented for The Settlers II and online multiplayer features documented for selected later History Editions. Current service availability may also depend on Ubisoft Connect conditions.

Does it support controllers?

Controller support is documented for selected entries rather than guaranteed uniformly across the collection. The Settlers II specifically supports controller input in split-screen mode, while the remaining games are primarily designed around mouse and keyboard strategy controls.

Is The Settlers History Collection worth choosing over one History Edition?

The bundle makes more sense for players who want the complete historical range or are unsure which entry suits them. If you only want one specific ruleset, buying an individual History Edition may be more focused.