What were you doing in 1997? Take yourself back. We can tell you what we were doing… playing instant RTS classic, Age of Empires! 25 years ago, with a distinctive “Rogan?” the first villager was born and the empire began. The game that began it all is having a big birthday and we’re not going to let that milestone go unmarked. From failed boar lures to the most impressive wonder victories, there’s a lot to celebrate!
Today we’re thrilled to announce that on October 25, we’ll be celebrating 25 years of Age of Empires in a big way. Join us live from a special location as we share our Anniversary Broadcast featuring announcements, interviews with the team and some surprises. Of course, we want to maintain an air of mystery so we won’t tell you exactly what we have garrisoned in our Town Center, but we promise there’ll be something for everyone! Tune in October 25 at 10am PT on the following channels to take part:
And for our fans in China, we will be streaming the celebration the following day on HuyaTV, DouyuTV, and Bilibili.
That’s not all that we have to share today though. October 25 will be a big day for the franchise as we are also releasing Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition on Steam and Microsoft Store! This new version of the game will include the base game, all updates released thus far and the Anniversary Update, featuring our two new civilizations, the Ottomans and the Malians. Existing Age of Empires IV owners will get the Anniversary Update for free — including the Ottomans and Malians, new mastery challenges, fresh achievements, eight new maps and two new biomes to explore and conquer. We’ll also be kicking off Season Three, adding Ranked Team Games, improving naval balance and introducing waypoint markers. Season Three has some specially themed rewards, so get involved to see how you can join the party. One year on from launch, there’s never been a better time to get started, come back to see what’s new or push forward your play in new ways.
The Age of Empires IV Anniversary Update on October 25 will also add eleven languages to the game! Players will now be able to experience Age of Empires IV in Hindi, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Czech, Norwegian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Finnish, and Portuguese (Portugal) in addition to the languages we launched with.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and III: Definitive Edition will also join the anniversary soiree with in-game challenges and exclusive rewards. Stay tuned to official channels for more information on these.
The end of the week will culminate in the finals of Red Bull’s Wololo: Legacy tournament, the biggest Age of Empires competitive event of all time! Head to the event website for all the latest information and be sure to watch as the world’s top players come together to battle it out live from Heidelberg Castle in Germany.
We’re so proud of the past 25 years and are thankful for you, our players, who have kept our games alive and thriving. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you soon. Join the conversation on social media with #AoE25 and ensure you’re following our official channels to be sure you don’t miss anything.
Wololo!
For more Age of Empires information, visit www.ageofempires.com
Age of Empires IV
Xbox Game Studios
One of the most beloved real-time strategy games returns to glory with Age of Empires IV, putting you at the center of epic historical battles that shaped the world. Featuring both familiar and innovative new ways to expand your empire in vast landscapes with stunning 4K visual fidelity, Age of Empires IV brings an evolved real-time strategy game to a new generation.
Return to History
The past is prologue as you are immersed in a rich historical setting of 8 diverse civilizations across the world from the English to the Chinese to the Delhi Sultanate in your quest for victory. Build cities, manage resources, and lead your troops to battle on land and at sea in 4 distinct campaigns with 35 missions that span across 500 years of history from the Dark Ages up to the Renaissance.
Choose Your Path to Greatness with Historical Figures
Live the adventures of Joan of Arc in her quest to defeat the English, or command mighty Mongol troops as Genghis Khan in his conquest across Asia. The choice is yours – and every decision you make will determine the outcome of history.
Customize Your Game with Mods (Beta)
Chart your own course with powerful creator tools in the latest beta release of Mod Editor. Sculpt your own skirmish and multiplayer maps, craft unique mission scenarios, forge data driven tuning packs and envision new modes of play for Age of Empires IV.
Challenge the World
Jump online to compete, cooperate or spectate with up to 7 of your friends in PVP and PVE multiplayer modes.
An Age for All Players
Age of Empires IV is an inviting experience for new players with a tutorial system that teaches the essence of real-time strategy and a Campaign Story Mode designed for first time players to help achieve easy setup and success, yet is challenging enough for veteran players with new game mechanics, evolved strategies, and combat techniques.
