After a long string of rumours, Microsoft has confirmed that Age of Empires is coming to Xbox consoles in 2023. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition will arrive on 31st January 2023, with Age of Empire 4 then following along later in the year. Both games will be available via Xbox Game Pass, where they’re already available for PC.
The announcements come as Microsoft celebrates the 25th anniversary of the classic RTS franchise, which has seen a real resurgence in recent years.
At the heart of the conversion, World’s Edge is having to adapt the games to work with a gamepad. World’s Edge addressed this, saying:
“We knew that bringing the complexity of RTS to Xbox consoles was a massive task and one we had to approach carefully and thoughtfully. The team has been working hard to bring an experience that not only feels great using a controller, but also teaches players how to play on Xbox. A new tutorial designed specifically for controller input paired with a new user experience for console will help players get started. We’ve also added a new game AI which helps make resource management in a strategy game efficient and intuitive.”
However, with the Xbox also allowing for keyboard and mouse controls (depending on the game), both Age of Empires games will also support those inputs on console.
Oh, and thanks to both inputs being available through Xbox Cloud Gaming, the games will also be possible to stream.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has been a fascinating remake of a game that goes beyond simply recreating the original. Instead, the game has been continually supported with over 40 updates and 3 DLC packs that add new civilizations and campaigns to the game. There’s now 42 multiplayer civs, 34 single-player campaigns and 7 co-op campaigns to play through. That’s a lot of strategising!
The game that will carry the series’ standard forward though will be Age of Empires IV. This came out last year, the first original entry in the series since 2008’s Age of Mythologies. While not revolutionary, it was a comprehensive new game. In our Age of Empires IV review, Dom said, “Age of Empires IV is a deeply enjoyable return for the series. It puts history front and centre, and opts to refresh its gameplay instead of reinvent it. That may not be enough for some. Then again, when you’ve got a series that’s remained the base template for RTS games for more than twenty years, who can blame them?”
Celebrating that release, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is out today on PC. This includes everything previously added to the game as well as two new civilisations – the Ottomans and the Malians – in a free Anniversary Update.
Source: Xbox
