Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition News

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Update 153015

Welcome to an exciting update for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! This patch addresses many pathfinding issues, also implementing a new “runaway/escape” feature, and improving the overall player experience. We are aware though, that the improvement will be an ongoing process and want to view this as the first of two major pathfinding patches. Be sure to dig down into the post below to get all of the smaller details before hopping in-game and checking them out firsthand.

While there are plenty of notable fixes and features to which to look forward in today’s build, here’s some of the big highlights coming with this month’s update:

Bug fixes based on your feedback!
Pathfinding improvements based on your feedback!
Balance changes!
New Maps and Map Updates!
Quality of Life 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: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum
🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord

Thank you 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
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        ◆ Update 153015 ◆

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[h2]Game[/h2]

[h3]Stability & Performance[/h3]
Fixed a crash occurring when trying to launch the game when Steam is closed.
Fixed a crash which could occur in prolonged games with AI players.
Fixed an out of sync issue which was occuring on Great Wall real world map when playing with players on different game platforms.

[h3]Graphics[/h3]
Added a new running animation for Jaguars.
Adjusted idle and walk animation settings for several animals to improve their appearance.
Improved the fire visuals on Tarkan’s and Elite Tarkan’s torches.
Herdable animals no longer lose their player color upon death.
Added a chance for Hunnic Horse to use different Horse graphics instead of always using Horse A graphics.
Terrain cracks graphics (eye candy object) can no longer appear above unit graphics.
Updated the texture of “Ice, Navigable” terrain.
Fences on Pastures no longer receive outlines when they are behind other buildings.
Pastures placed on mangrove terrains now use rice farm terrain textures.
Sheep graphics can no longer turn invisible in Return of Rome.
Snow graphics are now correctly displayed on buildings placed on all types of snow terrains, as well as on terrains with layered snow terrain.

[h3]Audio[/h3]
Reduced the volume and frequency of The Three Kingdoms hero unit selection and command sounds.
Adjusted the variation, frequency and volume of Chicken sounds.
The Tarkan attack sound effect has been updated to use an enhanced version of the legacy effect (also known as “thump”), which is more audible than the previous one.
Fixed an issue preventing the Narrator dictating the text in the Technology Tree menu.
Narrator will now pronounce character-based words more consistently.
Fixed issues with screen narration handling on the Multiplayer Lobby screen, Quick Taunts Selection screen, Clans screen, Mods screen, Credits screen, Help Index screens, Quick Play and Ranked screens.
Cleaned up the menu narration system to improve menu narration.
Fixed many minor narration issues.

[h3]UI[/h3]
Added negative regeneration rate display on UI for indication of lasting damage applied to the unit.
Fixed an issue where an incorrect number of queued farms and fish traps was displayed when having several Mills or Docks selected.
Fixed several instances of item display issues in the Technology Tree.
Adjusted the frame colors for regional buildings in the Technology Tree to be more distinct from common buildings.
The additional anti-building bonus of garrisoned rams is now correctly reflected in values in the attack tooltip.
Monks and Warrior Priests with Relics now display all stats on their interface, same as when not carrying Relics.
Resource gauge bar is no longer displayed for resources that are not being gathered, preventing it from being shown for decaying animals.
Updated Change to Melee Weapon icon and tooltip to be more generic and applicable for both Rathas and Immortals.
Fixed an issue where the auto-scout button was not displayed on the UI for animal scout units (Horses and Camels).
The auto-scout button is now always located in the same slot as the Stop button.
Now the scout unit must be idle before auto-scout can be activated for it.
Random map seed is now displayed in the Objectives screen in single player and finished multiplayer games.
Updated the appearance of the loading screen when starting a game:
The map icon and description are now displayed.
The most important settings are displayed with new icons.
Only enabled checkbox settings are now visible.
Updated the appearance of Tech Tree Preview panel:
Swapped positions of icons and civilization description.
Reorganized labels to better represent the tech tree.
Slightly reduced the panel size.
Fixed accessibility issue with focus handling ensuring that button focus is indicated by button visual style as well as highlight color.
Fixed issue where multiple buttons/tabs could appear to be focused at once.
The colors of players mentioned in the Scouts tab in scenarios are now correctly named when a colorblind mode is enabled.
Improved the button selection visual display when highlighting the DLC navigation icons on the main menu.
Added a text marque to places where the text became very small due to its length e.g. in the Taunts and Diplomacy menus.
Changed Civilization Set dropdown in lobbies to radio buttons for the available civilization sets.
Player and clan names in multiplayer lobbies now have a higher contrast ratio to the background.

[h3]Settings[/h3]
Added a new option which enables a visual and sound alert when queuing and training units with less than 5 remaining housing headroom.

[h3]Hotkeys[/h3]
Fixed an issue preventing research hotkeys from functioning when the “Select All Lumber/Mining Camps” hotkey is the same as “Select All Mule Carts”.
Fixed a bug that prevented villagers from being ungarrisoned with the corresponding hotkey.
The “Select All Town Centers” hotkey now also selects Town Center foundations.

[h3]Multiplayer[/h3]
Spectators are no longer able to see the chosen civilizations before a match starts if the “Hide Civilizations” setting is enabled.
Added a checkbox to filter full lobbies in the Lobby Browser.

[h3]Xbox[/h3]
Fixed an issue where the Blast Radius stat could not be displayed on the UI for buildings.
Keyboard controls are no longer displayed on various menus when playing on controller.
Fixed an issue that made UI elements overlap on certain languages.
Fixed an issue that swapped Fast Castle and Booming tooltips in the Art of War campaign menu.
Fixed a crash occurring when switching from Standard to Advanced interface while in a match.
Voiceover audio will now correctly play for non-English languages after downloading the Language Pack.
Prevented users from seeing player’s Clan Name/Tag when certain privacy settings are enabled.
Added controller hotkeys for Dromons and Lou Chuans.
Added a Command Menu Shortcut for Khitans villagers to build Pastures.
Fixed an issue where the military units added in The Three Kingdoms DLC were not counted in the military unit category display.
Fixed an issue preventing the player to join a Multiplayer game after accepting a game invite from the main menu.

[h3]PlayStation[/h3]
Improved navigation hints on the Game Settings screen.
Fixed menu narration so that where a language is supported it chooses the correct language narrator and when it is not it disables the narrator.
Fixed an issue where the player chat color in the multiplayer lobby was cached from the previous session.
Fixed a number of minor UI rendering issues.
Fixed a number of minor text issues, with incorrect text displaying.
Updated localized voice overs to fix some missing lines and a few minor bugs.

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.

Boasting millions of players, the newest Age of Empires game is now coming to PC

With modern technology, mobile games can be just as intricate as their PC counterparts, so it's no surprise that some of the biggest games on Steam are cross-platform compatible with handheld devices. As someone who typically prefers playing with a mouse, however, I'm very glad for confirmation that Age of Empires Mobile is now coming to PC. The newest AoE game might not be Age of Empires 5, but it's still a very robust version of the iconic strategy game series, boasting millions of players since its launch in 2024. Even if that's not for you, there's also some good news on new updates for AoE 2 DE, AoE 4, and Age of Mythology: Retold.

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Celebrating Age in 2025 and What’s Still to Come This Year!

It has been an incredibly busy 2025 so far for World’s Edge and the Age of Empires and Age of Mythology franchises, and as we cross the halfway mark together, we’d like to celebrate the amazing journey we’ve taken this year alongside our players. From record-breaking launches to community milestones and platform expansions, your passion and support have made the first half of the year nothing short of legendary.

Together, we’ve reached a new milestone: over 65 million players! This is more than just a number—it’s a testament to your passion, creativity, and support as a global community. Whether you’re commanding armies in Age of Empires IV, growing your civilization in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, living the legend in Age of Mythology: Retold, or strategizing on the go with Age of Empires Mobile, you are a part of something truly special.

With your incredible support for the Age of Empires franchise, we’ve already released three remarkable expansions and brought both Age of Mythology: Retold and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition to PS5.

[h3]Let’s take a closer look at what you’ve helped bring to life so far in 2025:[/h3]

Immortal Pillars for Age of Mythology: Retold introduced an entirely new Chinese pantheon, the all-new Pillars of the Gods campaign, and seven new maps.
Knights of Cross and Rose for Age of Empires IV delivered two new civilizations, the Knights Templar and House of Lancaster, as well as ten new maps for skirmish and multiplayer, and a new game mode: Historical Battles.
The Three Kingdoms for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition brought five new civilizations: Shu, Wei, Wu, Jurchens, and Khitans, and three new campaigns exploring the epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
PlayStation 5 releases: We created more opportunities for you to engage with the Age franchise wherever you choose to play when we welcomed new players with the release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Mythology: Retold on PlayStation 5.

We didn’t just make history in-game this year—we made it in the real world, too! As the first-ever gaming partner of the legendary Louvre Museum, we joined forces to bring the epic story of the Mamluks (1250–1517) to life in a way never seen before. This groundbreaking collaboration is all about celebrating the golden age of medieval history and inspiring curiosity far beyond the screen.

With everything we packed into the first half of 2025, we still have so much more to come, and the second half is shaping up to be even bigger! We’re so grateful you’re with us for every twist and turn, and we couldn’t do it without you.

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[h2]A New Pantheon Rises! Limited-Time 15% Off Pre-Order for Heavenly Spear – Launching September 30![/h2]

As part of the Xbox Showcase in June, we announced the next expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold will be Heavenly Spear. For the first time in Age of Mythology history, we’re bringing Japanese mythology to life! For the first time in Age of Mythology history, we’re bringing Japanese mythology to life and invites you to immerse yourself in the legends, gods, and heroes of Japan – introducing a brand-new Japanese Pantheon, an epic 12-mission campaign, and mythic powers never before seen in the franchise.

To celebrate this milestone, we’re offering a limited-time 15% discount when you pre-order Heavenly Spear before launch. This is your chance to be among the first to experience this vibrant new world and save!

Remember, if you’ve purchased the Premium Edition of Age of Mythology: Retold, you’ll be able to access Heavenly Spear at launch.

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Want to find out more about Heavenly Spear? We’ve got you covered!

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We’re thrilled to share new screenshots from the expansion, including our heroic Yasuko and the formidable villain Magumo—both of whom captured your imagination during the Xbox Showcase.

Don’t miss out—pre-order Heavenly Spear now and be part of our most exciting adventure yet!
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2991180/Age_of_Mythology_Retold__Heavenly_Spear/
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If you’re coming to Gamescom, be sure to join us at the World’s Edge booth to be one of the first to play Heavenly Spear and experience the wonder of the Japanese pantheon!

[h2]Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition continues to grow![/h2]

This has already been a humongous year for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! In April, we released the game’s biggest update yet, including our largest balance pass, additional units for civilizations, new regional visuals for units and buildings, new maps available to all our players, and much more.

In May, we welcomed new players on PlayStation 5 and launched the fastest selling Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition expansion to date, The Three Kingdoms!

The year isn’t over yet, and today we’re teasing our next expansion for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, coming later this year. While we can’t reveal the details at this stage, we can share a couple of images that chronicle this great upcoming adventure.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth look very soon!

[h2]Knights of Cross and Rose led the charge in Spring 2025, and Fall will bring more battles and content for Age of Empires IV[/h2]

In April we launched Knights of Cross and Rose, the second expansion for Age of Empires IV and one of the best-selling expansions ever for the Age of Empires franchise! We’ve been thrilled to hear your feedback, see your new strategies, and watch gameplay as you’ve marched into battle with the Knights Templar and House of Lancaster.

In February 2025, we revealed this year would bring two new expansions for Age of Empires IV. With Knights of Cross and Rose already available, we are excited to share that the next big release will come in the Fall of 2025.

Our focus for content this year was to expand on existing concepts, as well as experiment with shorter and more repeatable experiences. While the Historical Battles included in Knights of Cross and Rose provided one avenue for shaking up our formula by fusing more traditional narrative-driven elements of a campaign mission with a scoring system and levels designed to promote more exploration, we’ve continued to push things even farther with a new game mode we’ll be unveiling with this next expansion. In fact, while there will be plenty of the Age of Empires IV gameplay you know and love to revel in, you might recognize core elements from other genres making their debut as well. We’re pretty sure you’ll like what you see, and there’s so much more to share!

While we aren’t ready to go into the exact details yet, we do hear rumblings that a previously mentioned event in Cologne later this summer would be a great moment to stay tuned to the Age of Empires channels.

[h2]Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition is coming, play first at Gamescom[/h2]

In October 2024 we launched Age of Empires Mobile and millions of players around the world have been building cities, recruiting heroes and winning battles with their alliances.

Today we’re excited to announce that we’re bringing the title to PC. This new PC Edition brings rapid pacing combined with PC elements that players demand: optimized mouse control and settings, full keyboard navigation, refined UI, enhanced 4K visuals, and seamless Steam and Xbox Live integration.

We’ll have more details on the title soon including release date, but visitors to the Age of Empires booth at Gamescom will be the first to get to play Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition and we can’t wait to see you.

[h2]Competitive Age Continues to Flourish in 2025![/h2]

Players in the Age of Empires Esports scene are competing harder than ever before, creating exhilarating moments for fans around the globe. With over $200,000 awarded to players in S-tier events alone so far in 2025, we still have many events and surprises upcoming in the second half of the year. Including a LAN event in Germany and China!

Congratulations to our S-tier Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition champion:
- Hera continued his dominance in the T90 Titans League 4, The Garrison, and Warlords IV.
Congratulations to our S-tier Age of Empires IV champions:
- Beasty in the EGC Masters Winter.
- MarineLorD in The Elite Classic III.
- loueMT in the EGC Masters Summer.
- MarineLorD in the Masters of Steel.
Congratulations to our S-tier Age of Mythology: Retold champions:
- TheMista in Clash of Immortals.
- Kvothhh in Mythic Wars.

Thank you to our incredible and dedicated tournament organizers who turn these thrilling spectacles into reality, and to our devoted players who continue to master the titles of the Age franchise.

For more information on upcoming Age of Empires Esports events, please see our Events Calendar to watch along live and support your favorite players!

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This is only a sneak peek at what’s still to come for Age of Empires and Age of Mythology. We can’t wait to share more and hope it sparked your excitement for everything coming in the second half of the year.

The best way to stay informed on everything Age is to follow our official channels below, we’ll be sharing more details as soon as we can. For now, please continue to send us your feedback, your thoughts and what you’d like to see next across our social channels, forums, Discord, and Steam.

Wololo!

Join the Age Community Channels:

Age on X Age on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ageofempires
Myth on X Myth on Facebook Age of Empires Discord Official Forums

Server Maintenance - Wednesday, July 23

WHAT: Server Maintenance (Matchmaking Servers)
WHEN: Wednesday, July 23 @ 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 / Xbox / PlayStation 5)
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (Steam / Microsoft Store)
Age of Empires IV (Steam / Microsoft Store / Xbox)

[h3]OBJECTIVES[/h3]

Routine server updates and maintenance.

[h3]DETAILS[/h3]This coming Wednesday, July 23rd, 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!

26 years later, Age of Empires 2 update makes a life-saving early game change

Long-running RTS games like Age of Empires 2 are notoriously well-optimized. Picking up set build paths and strategies is crucial, even as a total newbie, or else you'll quickly fall behind the tempo of the lobby. When every second counts, so too does every morsel of food and splinter of wood you can gather early on. This typically includes having your villagers dance around a boar or two, which can quickly descend into chaos, and a spree of murdered townsfolk, if you have a tough time kiting the peeved off pigs. Fortunately, a new update is empowering your collective action, making the risky maneuver a thing of the past.

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