Well, we’re going to have to dust off the old axe and remember how to start ordering peasants (or peons) around — Microsoft has announced that Age of Empires 4 is going to be a thing soon. A wood, gold, and stone thing designed to consume hours at a time.
The company made the announcement at Gamescom in Germany this week and they’ve also revealed that developer Relic is at the helm. Which is reason to be excited, as Relic has previously worked on the Dawn of War series as well as the still-excellent Company of Heroes series of World War II real-time strategy titles. If they can bring some of their expertise to the long-running Empire games, it can only be a good thing.
What we have’t seen is any specifics. Microsoft has released a teaser trailer for Age of Empires 4, one which drops hints about the time periods players will encounter but little substantial information is available. There are no official visuals or gameplay in evidence but a substantial array of possible factions on offer, from ancient Europe and the Mediterranean to the East and the New World. Our clicking fingers are twitching already.
As if an all-new Age of Empires wasn’t enough, the remastered version of the original game — Age of Empires Definitive Edition — is launching on 19 October. Microsoft has also revealed that sequels Age of Empires II and III will also be going into the shop for a fresh coat of paint, so there’s plenty of strategy coming to occupy your time.
Source: Microsoft