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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition News

VOTE! Your Ranked Map Rotation starting April 20!



It’s that time again! Visit the official Age of Empires forum to vote for your Ranked map pool for the next two weeks.

This Week's Dev Picks
[h3]1v1 Random Maps[/h3]
✔ ARABIA ✔ ARENA ✔ FOUR LAKES ✔ GOLDEN SWAMP
[h3]Team Games[/h3]
✔ ARABIA ✔ ARENA ✔ BLACK FOREST ✔ HILL FORT ✔ ISLANDS ✔ MEGARANDOM
Cast Your Vote Now!

To participate in the community ranked map pool vote, you will need to login to the official Age forum using your free Microsoft account. Then, click the images below to jump to this week’s polls.






:alertalert: Polls are open until NOON Pacific on Sunday, April 18 (or 3:00p Eastern / 19:00 UTC), so be sure to cast your vote and check back to see which maps emerge victorious!

The Age of Empires: Fan Preview Recap!



We’ve vacated the Town Center (for now) and our Age Fan Preview broadcast has come and gone! We hope you enjoyed the show and have plenty of new news to talk about and share with the community.

In case you missed some of the excitement or information in the whirlwind, here’s a quick breakdown of everything we shared today.

IV | New Civ: The Delhi Sultanate

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
First we revealed one of the civilizations you’ll be able to play in Age of Empires IV: the Delhi Sultanate! This first look showed off buildings, units and…elephants!

  • If you’d like to learn more about what makes the Delhi Sultanate unique, you can visit our Virtual Village for a closer look.
IV | The Norman Campaign

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We took a deep dive into the Norman Campaign coming to Age of Empires IV. We previewed the documentary-style storytelling that will carry you through missions, as well as some of the gameplay captured straight from the campaign: beginning with William of Normandy’s battle for the English throne. Age of Empires IV will have four playable campaigns, and we’re excited to share more as we get closer to its release.

IV | Behind-the-Scenes at Relic Entertainment

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Age of Empires IV is being developed by Relic Entertainment, who offered us a behind-the-scenes look at their Vancouver studio and work on the game. Their history with real time strategy games, their passionate team, and their love for the franchise shone through in our chats with them, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know the people behind the project!

IV | New Civ: The Chinese

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Our trip to Vancouver to visit Relic was followed by another special civilization reveal for Age of Empires IVthe Chinese! Their reveal video gave us a taste for their units, unique buildings, and even the first notes of their musical theme.

II | New Expansion: The Dawn of the Dukes

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
As Fan Preview is a celebration of ALL things Age of Empires, we also wanted to feature our Definitive Editions. We’ve been so thrilled to remaster these classic titles for new and old players alike, and to continue evolving them alongside the community’s feedback!

Today we announced some big additions coming to Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition:
  • The second official DLC—Dawn of the Dukes—is coming with an Eastern European setting!
  • Some of our existing campaigns will be playable in two player co-op, with more information about the feature coming soon!
III | New Civ: The United States


Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is getting more content too! On April 13, you'll be able to experience the United States civilization.
  • A new civilization, new customizable home city, distinct units, and unique mechanics are on the horizon!
  • You’ll be able to earn the United States civ for FREE by completing the Fifty States Challenge, or by purchasing and unlocking it immediately via Steam or the Microsoft Store.
  • We’ll also be expanding the civ roster in the future as we head to Africa. More information to come!
♥ | A Community Tribute

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
One of the best things about Age of Empires is the vibrant, creative, welcoming community. A celebration of the franchise wouldn’t be complete without all of YOU, so the Relic and World’s Edge Community Teams got together to pay tribute to you and your love of the games. It’s been a fantastic journey with you all so far, and we can’t wait to see you in Age of Empires IV.

IV | Age of Empires IV Gameplay: An Exclusive Look!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
You’ve been asking to see more of Age of Empires IV, so we pulled a little something together! This epic look at the gameplay of Age IV showcases all of our revealed civilizations as they build and battle across the Ages. There are so many great moments, and we’re excited to hear what stands out to you!

IV | A Final Look...

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Just when you thought we were done, our host hinted at one final look at the game...

...But Wait, There's More!

And with that, our show was done! A big thank you to our host Zak (AKA ZeroEmpires) and to the entire team who worked so hard to put the show together.

But this is just the beginning! Fan Preview isn’t finished just yet; there are a few more activities for you to enjoy over the next week:

  • You can head to our Virtual Village to catch more exclusive content, learn more about the Age of Empires IV civilizations we've revealed thus far, and take part in some activities built exclusively for this celebration.
  • An Age of Empires IV Closed Beta is on the horizon! If you want a chance to take part, you’ll need to be an Age of Empires Insider. Go sign up if you haven’t already; we’ll have more to share about the Beta in the near future, so stay tuned to our social channels and website.
  • There’s also an opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind, Age of Empires-branded, Dell Alienware Aurora R11 Desktop. Enter for a chance to win!
Age of Empires IV is coming this Fall 2021 as our Definitive Editions continue to evolve month after month. There’s never been a better time to be an Age of Empires fan, and we’re excited for what comes next.

So, to everyone joining us, whether new or for the twentieth (or more) years: WO-LO-LO!

—The Age of Empires Team

Ranked Map Rotation – April 06



Here is the latest Ranked Map Rotation as determined by the developer picks and community vote. For the next two weeks, you’ll be able to pick from the new set of maps listed below!

Map pools as of: 6p Pacific (9p ET / 20:00 UTC / 22:00 CEST) on Tuesday, April 06 to Tuesday, April 20
👤 1v1 MAP POOL
This week's 1v1 Community Map Picks are in BOLD.
ACROPOLIS
ARABIA
ARENA
GHOST LAKE
GOLD RUSH
HILL FORT
TEAM ISLANDS


👥 TEAM GAME MAP POOL
This week's TG Community Map Picks are in BOLD.
ARABIA
ARENA
BLACK FOREST
BUDAPEST
HIDEOUT
LOMBARDIA
MEGARANDOM
NOMAD
WOLF HILL


👤 1v1 DEATHMATCH POOL


ACROPOLIS
ARABIA
FOUR LAKES
GHOST LAKE
GOLDEN PIT
GOLDEN SWAMP
KILIMANJARO
SERENGETI
VALLEY


👥 TEAM DEATHMATCH POOL


ARABIA
CENOTES
GHOST LAKE
GOLDEN PIT
GOLDEN SWAMP
KILIMANJARO
LOMBARDIA
OASIS
VALLEY

The Two Pools 2 Tournament is LIVE!


[hr]
[/hr][h3]🏆 WHAT: Two Pools 2[/h3]
[h3]📅 WHEN: April 2 - April 25[/h3]
[h3]📡 WHERE: LidaKor on twitch.tv[/h3]
[hr][/hr]
[h3]THE EVENT:[/h3]
The next major tournament of 2021—LidaKor’s Two Pools 2 Tournament—harkens the return of amazing 2v2 team games with a unique twist; every game, each team will select their civilizations from two pools: one they drafted and one drafted by their opposing team! This leads to unconventional civilization match-ups featuring many civilizations rarely seen on the competitive scene!

LidaKor hosted the first Two Pools Tournament back in 2019 (on Age of Empires II: HD), where MbL, Nicov, and Hera defeated TheViper and TaToH in an incredible best-of-seven series which not only came down to the wire, but featured one of the craziest plays of the year: a double boar lame with counter blocking!

[h3]THE LINEUP:[/h3]
Eight teams were invited to the event based on past tournament performances:
  • TheViper and TaToH
  • Hera and Liereyy
  • MbL and Nicov
  • TheMax and Villese
  • miguel and dogao
  • DauT and slam
  • Mr. Yo and Lyx
  • ACCM and saymyname

They’ll be joined by another eight teams who enter via the qualifiers:
  • JorDan_AoE and Nili
  • Vinchester, Dark, and classicpro
  • LaaaaaN and Hearttt
  • BadBoy and SongSong
  • BruH and Sitaux
  • Barles and Valas
  • Vodka and Rise
  • Ganji, Kamigawa, and Modri

[h3]THE BATTLEFIELDS:[/h3]
Two Pools boasts a variety of unique maps from which to choose: including new maps along with returning classics from earlier tournament events!



Rockslide
Featured during Red Bull Wololo 3 for the first time with the Empire Wars settings, Rockslide has never been seen in a 2v2 or Random Map setting before now.



Coast to Mountain
A long-time tournament favorite that disappeared from the scene for some time, Coast to Mountain features a nomad start. Players will battle over the open plains in the center of the map, a large pond with plenty of fish, and a mountainous region protecting the map’s gold and stone resources.



Cape of Storms
The winner of the 2019 Two Pools tournament community map building contest, Youngpanda’s Cape of Storms brings us to the stormy coastline of South Africa. Offering a unique setting in many ways—including water elevation and the presence of a pocket and flank player—this predecessor of the Coastal Forest map has taken its place as one of the most unique and entertaining maps in the Two Pools tournament.



Forest Pond
Offering early aggression via the pond in the middle and epic late-game engagements on the outside land, Forest Pond supports a variety of playstyles on a map that still lacks any single, definitive meta as to how any given team emerges victorious.

The map pool includes many unique and diverse battlefields upon which to fight, allowing each team to select the ones that suit their playstyle best.

[h3]TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:[/h3]
Every match can be watched live on LidaKor’s Twitch channel, or you can catch up with previous matches on YouTube!
[h3]⚔ Friday, April 2 – Sunday, April 4[/h3]Group Stage Round 1, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
[h3]⚔ Friday, April 9 – Sunday, April 11[/h3]Group Stage Round 2, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
[h3]⚔ Saturday, April 17[/h3]Group Stage Deciders, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
[h3]⚔ Sunday, April 18[/h3]Quarterfinals, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
[h3]⚔ Saturday, April 24[/h3]Semifinals, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
[h3]⚔ Sunday, April 25[/h3]Grand Final, starts at 14:00 UTC (16:00 CET / 7:00a PT / 10:00a ET)
Changes to the schedule may occur, so be sure to check out the official brackets of the event for streaming times!

[h3]TOURNAMENT DETAILS:[/h3]Learn more about the tournament over at:

[h3]:arrowsright: Liquipedia[/h3]

[h3]TUNE IN:[/h3]Here's where to tune in to the action:

[h3]:arrowsright: LidaKor on twitch.tv[/h3]

Server Maintenance - Tuesday, March 30



WHAT: Server Maintenance (Matchmaking Servers)
WHEN: Tuesday, March 30 @ 2:00p PT / 5:00p ET / 21:00 UTC (Countdown)
EST. DOWNTIME: 1-2 HOURS

[h3]GAMES & PLATFORMS IMPACTED[/h3]
[h3]OBJECTIVES[/h3]
  • Routine server updates and maintenance.

[h3]DETAILS[/h3]This coming Tuesday, March 30th, 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!