At the ongoing Gamescom expo in Germany, Microsoft announced the impending arrival of Age of Empires IV, the latest in its epic real-teal strategy game franchise.
The title is being developed by Relic Entertainment, which previously worked on the Company of Heroes and Dawn of War series. That’s a shift away from Ensemble Studios, which created the original AoE, and was disbanded by Microsoft after it acquired the developer.
Microsoft didn’t show off in-game footage or announce a release date, but its trailer, filled with concept art, depicts numerous different armies and time periods throughout history, from Romans to Japanese Samurai to Conquistadors and Native Americans.
It’s been 20 years since the first Age of Empires was released, and although we’ve seen mobile and multiplayer takes on the franchise in recent times, there hasn’t been an announcement quite as big as this for fans of the beloved strategy game.
If you’re looking to get your AoE fix, you’ll be happy to know that Age of Empires II and III are getting the Definitive Edition treatment in due time; we heard about the first one getting a 4K makeover, and we now have a launch date: October 19, exclusively on Windows 10. Here’s the trailer:
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I imagine that bringing a remastered edition of the original to fans will raise their expectations for Age of Empires IV. Luckily for us, Relic seems to know what it’s doing: its previous games have been well received over its 17 years in the business, so we’re in good hands.
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