Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition News

Age of Empires IV comes to Xbox consoles with this exciting update! We’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new players!

While today’s update (August 22nd) is predominantly focused on supporting the launch on Xbox consoles, there are still a few changes coming to PC. Note that crossplay between Xbox consoles and PC is not supported with this update; you can reference our full Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition on Xbox consoles FAQ here.

A quick breakdown of changes also introduced on PC includes:

• Several changes to AI behavior – especially with the Scout
  
• Rebalancing of relics on certain maps
  
• … plus bug fixes and balance changes
  

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

Thanks again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!

—The Age of Empires Team

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!

[hr][/hr]

        ◆Update 8.1.185◆

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
[h3]AI Updates[/h3]

• Fixed an issue that caused the AI to miscalculate the damage of buildings with garrisoned units. AI should no longer treat outposts as harmless if there are units inside.
  
• Mongol AI will place blacksmith and some military production buildings near Ovoo when relocating to take advantage of improved technologies.
  
• AI’s logic for assigning villagers to gather from resources has been improved.
  
• AI army will now try to move in formation when traveling to attack or defend a target. Siege engines and slower units will now move together with faster units giving AI a better chance to utilize the whole army.
  
• Issue with AI archers being idle after fleeing has been fixed.
  
• AI will now build the first mining camp close to its Town Center early in the game.
  
• AI now uses more villagers to construct landmarks and wonders.
  
• AI will fall back from battles it is losing more reliably.
  
• AI player’s monks will now correctly travel with, heal, and buff their allies.
  
• AI is now more restricted for executing market trades. It won’t execute trade for resources that it needs when it’s gathering same resource decently. It will only go for market trades that make sense.
  
• Accelerated and generally improved AI’s first Town Center placement logic in Nomad mode.
  
• Fixed AI sometimes repeatedly choosing the same bad spot to build their first Town Center in Nomad mode, destroying it and trying again or sometimes completely failing to choose a good construction spot.
  

[h3]AI Scout Changes[/h3]

• AI players will now actively scout for nearby enemy units after they have been harassed in their territory.
  
• AI scouts now collect sheep in Revealed games.
  
• AI’s scouts drop sheep off at the base more often.
  
• Scout pathfinding when grabbing sheep has been improved around shores.
  
• AI will use their scouts to observe enemy bases more often.
  
• AI’s scouts no longer deliver sheep to allies on revealed maps.
  
• AI players’ scouts will no longer attempt to steal sheep from near allied bases.
  

[h3]Campaign[/h3]

• Tech Trees option has been removed from the pause menu.
  

Developer’s Note: Removing this view from campaigns is our design solution to confusion experienced by newer players, as the technology and units in the campaigns deviate significantly from the Tech Trees used in Skirmish and Multiplayer matches.

• Fixed a bug in campaign missions where a villager would not automatically build a structure if placed where the villager is standing.
  
• Fixed a problem that could cause the enemy AI to stop attacking during the Lumen Shan mission.
  

[h3]Masteries[/h3]

• The Clever Commerce French Mastery description has been updated for clarity.
  
• Fixed a bug where the “Quick Study” achievement was not awarded if the Ottoman or Malian masteries were completed.
  

[h3]UX/UI & Menus (All Platforms)[/h3]

• Fixed an issue to ensure Mod tooltips will appear wide enough to contain the full mod title without breaking the characters into multiple lines.
  
• Fixed an issue to ensure that if Voice Chat has been disabled, it can be re-enabled during a match.
  
• The relic icon is now centered, when selecting a building with a relic inside.
  
• The resource in the deposit and the extraction rate stats are now on the same line when selecting the Ovoo. The player’s name is not cut off anymore.
  

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.

WHAT: Server Maintenance (Matchmaking Servers)
WHEN: Wednesday, August 16 @ 2:00p PT / 5:00p ET / 21:00 UTC (Countdown)
EST. DOWNTIME: 1-2 HOURS

[h3]GAMES & PLATFORMS IMPACTED[/h3]

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

[h3]OBJECTIVES[/h3]

• Routine server updates and maintenance.

[h3]DETAILS[/h3]This coming Wednesday, August 16th, the platform team will be taking the multiplayer servers down for regular maintenance. Please note:

• 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.

To prevent any interruptions, we recommend wrapping up any games at least 10 minutes before the maintenance window. The downtime is expected to last between 1 and 2 hours. You can watch this thread with any changes to the schedule as they arise, as well as the all-clear when the maintenance is complete.

Thank you for your patience!

Season Five of Age of Empires IV brought three new maps for you to play on! Are you enjoying Golden Heights, Volcanic Island, or Migration the most?

Follow Morgan Black; Knight of St. John on his quest to the New World. Do battle with the hardy Ottoman Empire, ferocious pirates, and a dangerous secret society.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/933110/Age_of_Empires_III_Definitive_Edition/

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is launching a new way to play! For the first time, new players can now join the ranks of this historical and stunning RTS experience with a rotating roster of the game’s 16 civilizations which can be played in both single player and multiplayer games FREE of purchase on Steam.

Now is the time to try Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition! Play for the first time or current AoE III: DE players can invite their friends for epic battles in striking 4K Ultra HD graphics.

Starting today, AoE III: DE will be offering new players the opportunity to play a free trial that gives access to the following:

• 3 civs on a rotating schedule for skirmish & multiplayer matches
  
• 8 hostable maps
  
• Act 1 of the Blood, Ice, and Steel campaign
  
• Art of War challenges
  
• And more!

Plus, all players will be able to join in on monthly global events to unlock new Hero Cosmetics!

[h2]How to Access[/h2]


Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is now available to download for free on Steam! New players can jump into a trial version simply by downloading the game on Steam, and open to access straight from the menu!

Already own Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition? Then fear not, as this will not impact current players. All you have to do is invite your friends!

Or, are you ready to access Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition base game with all the civilizations and extras? Get the base game instead!

[h2]What is Included?[/h2]

[h3]Pool of 3 Playable Civilizations on a Rotating Schedule[/h3]
Players can pick from 3 civilizations on a rotating schedule. Every week, the first civilization adding to the starting pool rotates out and a new one in. First up in the roster of playable civilizations are the French, Haudenosaunee, and Russians.

First civilization rotation is on August 18th.

[h3]The First Act of the Blood, Ice, and Steel Campaign[/h3]


Take advantage of the first campaign and jump into an epic journey!

Follow Morgan Black; Knight of St. John on his quest to the New World. Do battle with the hardy Ottoman Empire, ferocious pirates and a dangerous secret society. Befriend unlikely allies and earn their aid to complete your quest of defeating the Circle of Ossus; and their plans to obtain eternal life.

[h3]Play the Algiers Historical Battle[/h3]
Historical battles are story-driven historical narratives in which you’ll be given specific set objectives to complete. Each Historical battle has fully voiced in-game dialogue, beautifully crafted maps, cities and cinematics and the best part is, you can play them with a friend!

Where to Find Co-Op:
Co-Op is easily accessible from two different places within the UI.

From the Historical Battles screen.

1. From the Main Menu, click on Historical Battles.
   
2. Select your mission.
   
3. Click on the Host Co-Op button.
   
4. You can choose to make it public or password protected, and like any multiplayer game, invite your friends.
   

From the Multiplayer screen.

1. From the Main Menu, click on Multiplayer.
   
2. Choose Host a Casual Game.
   
3. From the Host Game dialog pop-up, under Game Mode, you can choose Co-Op Battle from drop down list.
   
4. After selecting Co-Op Battle, simply choose which battle you want to play from the Co-Op Scenario drop down list.

Algiers Historical Battle



In the 16th century privateering in the Mediterranean flourished as a result of the staunch rivalry between the Ottoman Empires and the European Christian states. Famous Barbary corsairs like Hayreddin Barbarossa and his brothers gained infamy because of their great success while privateering. In 1516 the brothers managed to take the city of Algiers, deposing its former ruler, and creating their own Barbary pirate state. However, the Spanish were not going to let a pirate state exist so close to their homeland and sent a large army to deal with the Barbary threat and acquire the city of Algiers.

[h3]Access to the Art of War, Compendium, and Tech Trees of All Civilizations[/h3]

Art of War
Hone your skills and strategy with the Art of War – a set of 10 in-game tutorials designed to quickly teach the core skills you’ll need to win!

Compendium
Explore the history of each civilization, their military, buildings and more in the in-game Compendium.

Tech Trees
Learn the strategies and tactics available to each civilization in the Technology Tree. Detailing their unique roster of units, technologies, and bonuses to unlock their true potential.

[h3]A Collection of 8 Hostable Multiplayer Maps[/h3]


Host a match and choose from 8 Maps!

🌐 Central Asia:[expand]

Central Asia: Teams are separated by two shallow rivers that flow into the Aral Sea in this arid region.

Settlements: Tengri, Sufi.

Outlaws: Wokou Horseman, Wokou Monk.

[/expand]
🌐 Deccan:[expand]

Deccan: A central, forested plateau overlooking a series of strategically placed trade sites.

Settlements: Udasi, Sufi, Bhakti

Outlaws: Marathan Dacoit, Marathan Thuggee

[/expand]
🌐 Great Plains:[expand]

Great Plains: Home of many Natives and plenty of Food.

Settlements: Comanche, Cheyenne, Apache

Outlaws: Comanchero, Renegado

[/expand]
🌐 Guianas:[expand]

Guianas: Control the central resources and settlements in this large valley, or extend to the perimeter of the map to establish a foothold on a trade route.

Settlements: Caribs, Tupi

Outlaws: Pistolero, Pirate

[/expand]
🌐 Northwest Territory:[expand]

Northwest Territory: A green and rainy region divided by rivers with shallow crossings.

Settlements: Nootka, Klamath, Cree

Outlaws: Comanchero, Renegado

[/expand]
🌐 Malaysia:[expand]

Malaysia: A peninsular region with separate, defendable oceans on each side.

Settlements: Jesuit, Sufi

Outlaws: Marathan Dacoit, Wokou Pirate

[/expand]
🌐 Mongolia:[expand]

Mongolia: Explore generous grassland populated with unprecedented herds of grazing animals and a distant northern Trade Route.

Settlements: Tengri, Shaolin

Outlaws: Wokou Horseman, Wokou Monk

[/expand]
🌐 Saguenay:[expand]

Saguenay: A coastal region with plenty of resources. It may be summer or winter.

Settlements: Cree, Huron

Outlaws: Pistolero, Comanchero

[/expand]

[h2]New Global Events! Unlock New Hero Cosmetics[/h2]
Starting August 2, all players will be able to participate in a Hero Cosmetic challenge event each month! The aim of each of the events is the same – to have a target number of participants join and play to reach the goal of unlocking that month’s Hero Cosmetic to use in game.

In order to participate in the challenge, simply play a single player or multiplayer game to earn XP and gain entry to a leaderboard for the challenge. When there are enough entries on the leaderboard a Hero Cosmetics is awarded to anyone who participates in the challenge.

To find the event progress, navigate to the UI panel on the Main Menu. Statistics are displayed for the following:

• Target number of participants
  
• Current number of participants
  
• Icon and description of the Hero Cosmetic reward

Featured Civilization: August

Reward

Cosmetic

Russians

Mila the Bear
Look into those big wide eyes,
could that bear ever harm anyone?
She just wants to play! Hurl around 
those enemy soldiers through the air!

[h2]FAQ[/h2]
1) Will the free trial version be available on Windows Store?[expand]This will be available on Steam only. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is available for free via Game Pass![/expand]
2) I already own Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, will this affect me?[expand]This will not impact current Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition owners. However this will be the chance to invite friends and new players to try it out![/expand]
3) Will ranked be available in the free trial version?[expand]Ranked is available only in the base game, which can be purchased here.[/expand]
4) Will free trial players be able to play with players who own the base game?[expand]Yes, trial game players can play with base game owners, and both game owner types can host multiplayer games.

If trial players hosts a multiplayer game, they can choose from the limited set of maps available to host on. If a base game owner hosts, any owned maps can be chosen for the map, and trial game players can join the game even if they don’t own the map.[/expand]

[h3]Need more help? Visit our support page here![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2477660