Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition News

• Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (Steam / Microsoft Store)
  
• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox / PlayStation 5)
  
• Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (Steam / Microsoft Store)
  
• Age of Empires IV (Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox)
  

• Routine server updates and maintenance.

• Ranked matchmaking will disabled exactly one hour before the maintenance window to prevent disruption to newly-formed matches.
  
  
• Any matches still in progress at the start of the maintenance window will be disrupted when it begins.
  
  
• DURING THE MAINTENANCE WINDOW, YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH THE GAME, BUT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MATCHMAKE OR ACCESS ANY ONLINE FEATURES.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

💬 DISCUSS: Official Forum
💬 DISCUSS: Steam Forum
🗣 JOIN: Official Discord

Please Note: As part of updating to this latest build, any saved games and observable matches made on previous builds will be unable to be loaded or replayed.

        ◆Update 14.0.4963◆

[h2]Season Eleven[/h2]

Not all battles are taken through sheer might – some are won through keen eyes, smart trades, and meticulous attention to detail…claim your victory as the winds of trade bellow, and never let your enemies know your next move! It’s time to get the upper hand against your enemies with Season Eleven’s first event, Trade Secrets!

Starting today, June 26th, login to complete some fun challenges and prove your worth!

[h3]Trade Secrets Event[/h3]


[h3]New Seasonal Game Mode: Chaotic Climate![/h3]
Introducing New Seasonal Game Mode: Chaotic Climate! Playable in skirmish and multiplayer, this game mode cycles through the four seasons, introducing unique global effects over time. View the current seasonal effect from the Town Center.

Chaotic Climate will be available to play today, June 26th!

[h3]Ranked Season Eleven Updates [/h3]
Things are heating up this summer as the leaderboards are once more ablaze with worthy contenders! We’re kicking off Season Eleven with a series of rewards for both solo and team ranked. Bring things to a boil as you climb your way up the ranks – Season Eleven begins on June 26th.


[h3]Map Pool Rotation[/h3]
We’re back with another map pool rotation to kick off Season Eleven! Prove your skill and best your rivals on this fresh set of battlegrounds.
v1 Ranked Map Pool

• Boulder Bay → Archipelago
  
• Four Lakes → Canal
  
• High View → Altai
  
• Relic River → Rocky River
  
• Lipany → Hill & Dale

Team Ranked Map Pool

• Prairie → Hideout
  
• Continental → African Waters
  
• Mongolian Heights → Hedgemaze
  
• Rugged → Nagari
  
• Waterlanes → Relic River

[h3]Map Monsters Game Mode Returns[/h3]
We've also brought back an old favorite - the Map Monsters game mode!

[h3]AI Updates[/h3]

• AI players will now have increased defense for their or their allies’ wonders.
  
• Hard AI and higher will now retreat in a more efficient manner.
  
• Fixes for AI upgrades research:
  
  • Lettre de Change (Knights Templar)
    
  • Treasure Towers (Knights Templar)
    
  • Templar Brother (Knights Templar)
    
  • Cistercian Abbeys (Holy Roman Empire)
• When playing Nomad mode, AI monarchs will now correctly path towards their corresponding Town Center in early game.
  
• In early Nomad mode, vulnerable AI monarchs will now attempt to flee if attacked.
  
• Holy Roman Empire AI players will now train Black Rider units.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

[h3]:alertalert: DISCLAIMER[/h3]This list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.

For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

Age of Empires 4 took me by surprise. I'm a cast-iron AoE 2 acolyte. More broadly, I think the visual design of RTS games peaked in the '90s - Command and Conquer, Jagged Alliance, and Total Annihilation remain three of the best-looking games of all time, regardless of genre. In theory, AoE 4, which is a real-time strategy game in 3D (I know!) shouldn't work for me. But Relic, World's Edge, and Forgotten Empires' sequel is a more-than-deserving companion to AoE 2. If you haven't played it before, the gigantic Deluxe edition is now available for ultra-cheap.

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