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The Age of Empires series is finally coming to Xbox consoles and cloud gaming
'Age of Empires Mobile' is also on the way, as is a definitive edition of 'Age of Mythology.'
'Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition' arrives this fall
Microsoft revealed at its E3 event that Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will arrive this fall. As with the updated Age of Empires, this version of the classic RTS includes 4K support and remastered audio, as well as a brand-new campaign called The Last Khans. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will be available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, while signups for the beta are now open.
Touch-based Age of Empires: Castle Siege unveiled for Windows 8
Microsoft revealed Age of Empires: Castle Siege this week, a Smoking Gun Interactive game that's coming to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 next month. Microsoft's Kieffer Bryant described Castle Siege as a "fast-paced experience" built for touch devices, with players dragging units across paths while accumulating resources and building up their cities. However, it seems fans of the strategy series haven't taken well to the announcement. The majority of YouTube users thumbed-down the announcement trailer (which you'll find below the break), while some commenters derided the game as a Clash of Clans clone that isn't true to the series - Supercell's mega-popular MMO isn't available on Windows Phone.
Age of Empires Online now extinct following server shutdown
The servers for freemium real-time strategy game Age of Empires Online shut down this week. Published by Microsoft, the online RTS entered beta in May 2011 before its full launch that August for Games for Windows Live. Gas Powered Games took over the game's development from Robot Entertainment prior to that in February 2011. It arrived on Steam in March 2012, at which point its daily active users spiked by by more than three times. A since-deleted support article for the game in January tipped off a July 1 closure date of Games for Windows Live. Age of Empires Online was let down easy, as its closure was forecasted nearly one month ago. The developer reset the player-vs-player ranking ladder at the beginning of June and hosted a few events for the game, including a Capital City decoration contest and invitational tournament near the end of the month. The developer capped off its Age of Empires Online send-off with an "End of the World" event yesterday, in which it livestreamed the game's final hours of life. [Image: Gas Powered Games]
Age of Empires Online shuts down tomorrow
After tomorrow, Age of Empires Online will be no more. The online adaptation of the popular Microsoft RTS franchise will be shut down along with the PC Marketplace as of 7:00 p.m. EDT on July 1st. "On July 01, 2014, Age of Empires Online will shut down permanently. We thank the loyal fans for their support and commitment and look forward to many more battles before Age of Empires Online is retired," the studio posted on Facebook last year. This will come as a shock to no one, as Age of Empires' population decline was well-known and acknowledged by the dev team itself. The studio hasn't been developing new content for the game since January 2013.
Microsoft hiring for a 'well-loved strategy game franchise'
Microsoft Studios is working on a new entry in an established, AAA strategy franchise at its Redmond, Washington, location. A job post dated April 28, 2014, describes the game as follows: "Microsoft Studios is looking for a highly experienced senior games developer to help build and lead the team for a new AAA title within an established and well-loved strategy game franchise." A series that isn't just loved, but well-loved. Microsoft Studios has a few established strategy franchises in its wheelhouse, including Age of Empires and Halo Wars. Both were developed by Ensemble Studios, which closed in 2009 after finishing Halo Wars. [Image: Microsoft]
Gears of War, Fable and Forza fair game for TV shows
Having announced its first lineup of Xbox Originals, a brand of exclusive television shows made for Xbox platforms, Microsoft is highlighting Gears of War, Fable and Forza Motorsport as potential sources slash victims of adaptation in the future. Speaking to press in San Francisco last week, Vice President of Xbox Entertainment Studios Jordan Levin named a few games that "most immediately come to mind" for a stint in television. Unlike the popular Halo series of first-person shooters, which is already confirmed for a television show and an upcoming feature, these projects are at a stage of "exploratory conversation" and may ultimately go nowhere. Games being explored so far include historical strategy game Age of Empires, zombie survival sim State of Decay, Forza Motorsport, the vibrant Fable series and bulky-men-vs-monsters shooter, Gears of War. If those exploratory conversations last long enough, there's a chance someone will see the potential in combining these intellectual properties into a filmed super-property. Who wouldn't watch a show about zombies overrunning the stone age, or a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta covered in chainsaws and driven by a man in a chicken suit? [Image: Microsoft]
Microsoft announces Age of Empires: World Domination for mobile
We've known since last summer that Microsoft was looking to bring its Age of Empires series to mobile, but earlier this week we were given an official announcement and title. The game, which is being developed by KLab, is called Age of Empires: World Domination. It's coming to iOS, Android and Windows devices this summer. You can check out the announcement trailer above. Unfortunately, there's not much else to go on at the moment, other than the game will feature Celts, Huns, Vikings and Franks. It's not clear if gameplay will follow in the series' traditional real-time strategy footsteps or be something else, but the trailer promises "an all new battle system reimagined for mobile." Cry havoc and let slip the fingertips of war. [Image: Microsoft]
Microsoft's Perry on F2P the wrong way
Today's winner of the most provocative post title award is this little ditty about Age of Empires Online. But hey, don't blame Massively! It's actually the title of a speech given by Microsoft's Kevin Perry at GDC Europe 2013. Gamasutra has posted video of the event, and it's well worth watching if you've got 45 minutes to kill and you're interested in what goes through a developer's mind as he thinks about continually evolving monetization schemes. Perry says that this particular speech is on its third iteration. It initially started out positive when he shared it with an internal Microsoft audience some time ago. He then reworked it based on newly collected data about the game for GDC San Francisco earlier this year. And then he reworked it again for GDC Europe based on even more data. If you're sensing a trend here, you're right: game devs often don't know how well their business models are performing at any given time. As Perry says, "it's an ongoing conversation." There are a few other choice quotes as well, including the notion that PvP players are small in number but "very, very loud" in terms of influence as well as the supposition that you can launch incomplete games under the F2P business model and "sort it out on the fly." This last bit isn't always true, Perry says, "especially for a large, branded title."
Microsoft PC Marketplace closure to affect Age of Empires Online
Microsoft is is closing down its Xbox.com PC Marketplace on August 22nd. The company is also retiring its Microsoft Points virtual currency on the same date. What does this have to do with MMOs? Well, it affects Age of Empires Online players by limiting their ability to purchase DLC after the closure date. According to a post on the game's official forums, players may still download and enjoy previously purchased content through Games for Windows LIVE after the 22nd, even if said content was originally purchased via Steam. And even though marketplace purchases are going away, in-game purchases using Empire Points will still be available. [Thanks jackpipsam!]
Age of Empires marching onto iOS, Android
Social game developer Klab is working on a "mobile version of Microsoft Studio's Age of Empires franchise" for iOS and Android. The news follows a Nikkei report that claimed Microsoft agreed to a deal with Klab for various mobile versions of the former's games, including what Nikkei specified as a free-to-play version of strategy series Age of Empires. However, in a statement issued to Polygon, Microsoft only confirmed the iOS and Android version of Age of Empires. The statement also noted certain reports "included incorrect information about additional Xbox Live-based games on iOS and Android," before adding that "there are no further announcements beyond Age of Empires at this time." While that leaves the door ajar, at the moment Age of Empires is the one confirmed to be headed for mobiles. Microsoft's statement added the game will be initially made in English for iOS and Android, but there are plans for other languages, as well as a Windows Phone version, down the line.
Age of Empires 2 HD heading to Steam on April 9
Age of Empires 2 HD is taking over Steam on April 9, and until that day it's 10 percent off, or $18. Age of Empires 2 HD is a revamped version of the 1999 real-time strategy game from Ensemble Studios, now under the care of Hidden Path Entertainment.
Gas Powered Games announces Wildman
Gas Powered Games, the studio behind Age of Empires and a handful of other titles, has hopped on the Kickstarter train. Wildman hit Kickstarter today and has 32 days to hit its $1,100,000 goal. The game is an three-way action RPG/RTS/MOBA hybrid. GPG CEO Chris Taylor told Gamasutra that he's basically "betting the company on it." The Kickstarter is meant both to raise the necessary funds to continue making the game and to give fans a stake and voice in Wildman's development. If the project hits its funding and makes it to release, we're hoping it'll feel right at home in our Not So Massively column.
Age of Empires Online adopts a truly free business model
Last month, the Age of Empires Online developers announced an aim to take the game away from its "free-to-try" business model and move to truly free. With the latest update, the real-time strategy game will not only convert to a truly free-to-play model but also offer new content to players in the form of Alliance Wars (a team-based competition for level-40 players) along with new purchasable vanity items and consumables. In the move to make all premium content available through gameplay, the game's currency -- Empire Points -- can now be earned through conventional play or purchased through Steam. Chris Taylor, founder and CEO of Gas Powered Games, explains, "With Empire Points and this true free-to-play business model, we are giving players what they have repeatedly asked for... fewer pay walls and more ways for players to experience this legendary franchise." As the game transitions to this new model, all current players will receive a gift of 500 Empire Points automatically, while new accounts will receive 100. Current players who had Empire Points previously will see them converted into in-game coin. [Source: Gas Powered Games press release]
E3 2012: InnoGames talks pirate MMOs, strategy titles, and games for women
At this year's E3, we had a nice long chat with German studio InnoGames about its MMO repertoire. The company actually started out quite small with three college buddies, who released their first game only to their close friends. That game, Tribal Wars, and its original servers are still around, albeit with some updated graphics to keep things looking fresh, but we wanted to focus on the team's more recent offerings. While InnoGames has several titles under its belt, including Bounty Hounds, we focused primarily on Kartuga, a pirate-themed strategy MMO; Lagoonia, a social building game created by and aimed at women; and Forge of Empires, which is similar to the Age of Empires series. All three games are free-to-play browser games, and we even got a pinch of hands-on time.
Age of Empires developers talk about free-to-try and free-to-play
Gas Powered Games is aiming to take Age of Empires Online out of DLC-supported free-to-play and into a truly free model. That means moving away from what Systems Design Lead Eric Williamson described as "more of a free to try" model and implementing a system through which players can earn points to unlock anything that could be more quickly bought with money. In anticipation of this change, PC Gamer sat down with Williamson and Design Lead Steve Bauman for a chat about some of the philosophy behind the change. Williams said that their hope is that people who were previously turned off by the imperative that they spend money for full in-game advantage will be willing to give it another go. Players will now be able to earn enough points to unlock a premium civilization in "as short as two or three weeks of daily play," so those who spend the most time in-game will reap the greatest reward. Empire points, the purchase resource that will be gained by either money or in-game achievement, will be earned by players as they complete specific campaign quests, level up, and participate in Alliance Contests.
Age of Empires Online ventures north with the Celts
Age of Empires Online has been bringing free-to-play RTS action to the masses since August of last year, but so far players have had access to just three civilizations: Greek, Egyptian, and Persian. All of that is about to change, though, so ready your shillelaghs as the Celts join the battle. This new civilization, which seems to draw inspiration predominantly from Irish and Scottish folklore, will bring players a variety of new units and strategies with which to drive the opposition to its knees. Whether you're wreaking havoc with the speedy Woad Raiders or sacrificing a deer with the druidic Augur, the Celts will certainly bring new twists to any playstyle. And of course, a new civilization also means new quests. The Celts' quests will have players battling it out in the frigid north, where the icy weather will slowly sap the health of any unit caught in the elements. The Celts will also introduce stealth missions, such as infiltrating an enemy fortress without waking the sleeping guards. To see the new civilization in action, just click past the cut for a bagpipe-filled teaser video, then head on over to the game's official site to get in on the action for yourself. Sláinte!
Age of Empires Online readying skirmish mode, new booster pack
Age of Empires Online is getting a skirmish mode courtesy of the upcoming Skirmish Hall booster pack. The new gameplay will allow players to team up and fight AI opponents in pursuit of experience and loot. Skirmish mode will pit you and a friend (or computer ally) against four computer-controlled enemies, and each AI can take on a variety of different playstyles. Each style is represented by a unique leader, and there are eight of these to choose from. Also of note is the fact that skirmish mode unlocks all of the game's units regardless of your overall level. If you want to preview some powerful Age of Empires units that are hidden away behind hours of advancement gameplay, skirmish mode is the way to go. Check out the skirmish mode trailer after the break for more details.
Age of Empires Online introduces Season Pass, details pricing
Microsoft has released more information on the pricing plans that will soon be available to players of Age of Empires Online, the newest installment in the RTS series that launched just today. On top of the previously established Premium Civilization packs (weighing in at $20 each), the Defense of Crete booster ($9.99), and Empire Extras ($4.99), players will also be able to purchase a Season Pass. The Season Pass grants players a 30% discount on all cash shop items for six months. The Season Pass itself is reported to set players back a hefty $99.99, so it will likely only be useful for the most hardcore of Age of Empires Online players. But if you're planning on buying up every bit of content the company drops, it may save you a few bucks. In addition to the Season Pass, Microsoft also announced that players who buy the Greek and Egyptian civilizations will receive the Defense of Crete booster for free. For more information on the just-launched online RTS, check out Joystiq's hands-on impressions of the game.
Age of Empires Online review: Casual conquest
In reading online discussions surrounding Age of Empires Online, you'd think that the developers had taken to traveling the country with the express intent of running over kittens. Clearly, players have taken issue with this latest in the Ensemble-created historical strategy franchise, which layers the series' core formula beneath a highly stylized coat of paint and free-to-play business model. However, much of the mechanics that made Age of Empires a household name remain, though now alongside new features designed explicitly to both ease new players into the experience as well as capture the attention of the coveted MMO crowd. %Gallery-124916%
