New Annexation Feature to Launch for Frontiers

By Ecclestia
18 July 2025

NEWS: A long-anticipated new feature - Annexation - is set to launch on NationStates, according to an official announcement by Game Moderator Sedgistan on the NationStates Forum.

Annexation will allow one Frontier region to absorb another, resulting in the automatic relocation of all nations from the annexed region to the annexing one. This is the latest addition to the broader Frontiers and Strongholds update, which was originally introduced in 2022 to give regions greater flexibility in governance and gameplay.

The new mechanism has been tested extensively by beta users and will go live imminently, though no specific date has been provided.

How Annexation Works

The feature applies only to Frontier regions. The annexation process involves two Frontiers:

Region A (the annexing region) must be a Frontier. Its Delegate may initiate an annexation request targeting another Frontier.
Region B (the region being annexed) must also be a Frontier. Its Delegate may accept the request (at an influence cost equivalent to transitioning the region out of Frontier status), reject it, or ignore it.
If accepted, a two-week waiting period begins. During this time, either Delegate can cancel the annexation.
If not cancelled, the annexation is executed during Region B’s next update. All nations in Region B will be forcibly moved to Region A.

Annexation will be displayed in the same format as other regional transitions, with a banner on both regions’ pages and a line in their regional happenings.

Key Things to Note

Only Frontier regions can initiate or be subject to annexation.
There is no influence cost for the initiating region’s Delegate.
The Security Council has no authority to intervene in the annexation process. This design choice is intended to encourage annexation as an alternative to changing a region’s governance after conquest.
The name and status of the annexed region after annexation has not been clarified in the announcement. Some forum users have raised questions about whether region names will become available or locked after use.

Community Reactions

The feature has received a mix of responses from NationStates players.

Some have expressed enthusiasm about the strategic opportunities annexation could create. Magrusa stated ‘Sounds cool! I can't wait to see what else is being cooked up in the NationStates oven.’

Others raised concerns about the potential loss of regional identity or historical continuity. ‘Imagine coming back to NationStates to find out that you’re in a totally different region and your old one has been totally destroyed,’ wrote one user, Simonia. Another, Fornholm, has sought clarification on what happens to ‘Region B’s’ name once annexed: ‘Will it be restricted from use temporarily? Wouldn't anyone else snipe the region name when this occurs?’

According to Sedgistan, the new feature is intended to expand the gameplay possibilities available to Frontier regions. It is part of a broader effort to balance the advantages and vulnerabilities of Frontiers, offering them the chance to grow while also increasing the risks they face. Sedgistan wrote ‘Conflict over Frontier regions in particular is an encouraged and deliberate part of the site design. It's not up for debate; we're not changing that.’

As with other features, the moderators and developers have invited feedback but noted that changes will not be considered in the short term. The feature is expected to remain in place for several months before any adjustments are made.

The NationStates Times will continue to report on the implementation and impact of annexation as more information becomes available.

Comments and discussion on this new feature and its impacts are welcome below.

View the announcement and forum discussion here.