Age of Empires II (Retired) Steam news

• Latest observed players2.1K · 22 September 2026 - 00:20:28 UTC
• SteamPulse tracked peak27,618
• Units sold (VGI)No data available
• Revenue (VGI)No data available
• Review score96% positive
• Total reviews102,797
• Release dateApr 9, 2013
• DeveloperSkybox Labs, Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios, Forgotten Empires
• PublisherXbox Game Studios

Genres: Strategy

Company pages: Developer: Skybox Labs, Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios, Forgotten EmpiresPublisher: Xbox Game Studios

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Age of Empires II (Retired) Steam news

Age of Empires II (Retired) news collects recent Steam feed items, update posts, and announcements that SteamPulse can associate with this app.

Latest Steam announcements

• Scientists use Age of Empires 2 to investigate how ants wage war - 15 September 2023

  We often hear that videogames can have a positive impact upon the world, but this is the first time I've seen somebody use one - an antique strategy sim, no less - to advocate for appropriately balancing the level design of your front lawn so as to stop indigenous insects being overrun by smaller invading species. The scientific research paper in question - uploaded in August this year, and brought to my attention by RPS contributor and apparent ant enthusiast Matt Cox - sees researchers Samuel J. Lymbery, Bruce L. Webber and Raphael K. Didham use Age of Empires 2 to study how human shaping of the environment affects the balance of power between the indigenous Australian "meat ant", or Iridomyrmex purpureus , and the Argentine ant, or Linepithema humile , who are one of the world's more invasive ant species. Read more

• Regarding the Lunar New Year Sale Discount - 31 January 2022

  Greetings, Age fans! Some eagle-eyed users noticed that Age of Empires II: HD Edition was discounted during the ongoing Lunar New Year sale for 75% off. Age of Empires II: HD Edition was mistakenly discounted while Age of Empires: Definitive Edition was missing its discount entirely. Over the weekend, this discount was removed, and the same discount was applied to Age of Empires: Definitive Edition. If you're looking for the latest entry in the Age of Empires II library, check out Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/813780/Age_of_Empires_II_Definitive_Edition/ Thank you for your patience, and apologies for the miscommunication!

• This mod adds a Doom campaign to Age of Empires 2 - 26 December 2021

  Everyone likes Age of Empires 2. Everyone likes the original Doom. So why not package these two wonderful old games together into one clicky, sticky experience? That's at least the reasoning behind Age of Doom, an Age of Empires 2 mod that pulls in artwork, sounds, and more from the Doom series to create an all new Doom-flavoured campaign for Age of Empires 2. Age of Doom is basically a Diablo-style isometric shooter. The sound effects and sprites are all drawn from the original Doom games, but there are sound clips included in the campaign from later in the series. The campaign includes four episodes, plus a tutorial mission. Modder Hellknight61 says a final episode, called 'Hellhole Teleportation Portal Gate' is still in the works. You can swap weapons and shift tactics using Age of Empires II's chat panel - it's kind of genius. You'll start out in the ruins of an ancient human civili…

• Age of Empires IV Launch Trailer – Watch Now! - 25 October 2021

  Get ready! Only three days remain before the launch of Age of Empires IV– the long-awaited return of one of PC gaming’s most iconic strategy franchises. We also have some exciting announcements for you today: First, the official launch trailer for Age of Empires IV is available to watch now! Secondly, as of today, selected press and content creators will start publishing their thoughts on this long-awaited title. Now is a great time to check out some of the content from some of our favorite creators! Check It Out Join us October 28 and jump into the fray! Available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, Steam, and Windows. Haven’t Pre-Ordered yet? https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466860/Age_of_Empires_IV/

• Lords of the West—the first expansion for Age II: DE—is now available! - 26 January 2021

  AVAILABLE NOW! For those who've made the leap to Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, the first official expansion, Lords of the West, is now available! Pick up your copy today and expand your gameplay: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1389240/ FEATURES Included in the Lords of the West expansion: New Civ! The Burgundians https://static.ageofempires.com/aoe/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/age-of-empires-2-de-burgundians.jpg Rise from a mere duchy to the marvel of Western Europe through economic might, cultural achievement, and the use of advanced military technology and tactics. The dukes of Burgundy played a vital role in the politics of medieval Western Europe. They led the transformation from the medieval to the early modern world and ushered in a golden age for the region called the Northern Renaissance. At their height, these “Grand Dukes of the West” controlled large parts of moder…

• Battle of Africa 2: The Main Event! - 14 May 2020

  https://static.ageofempires.com/aoe/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/1-M3FwTJg-1080x226.png Following its raging success in 2018, the Battle of Africa tournament—hosted by MembTV—makes its triumphant return to the tournament stage, this time on Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. The Battle of Africa 2 brings team games to the forefront of the Age of Empires scene: pitting the top 16 teams in the world against each other starting later this month through the start of June. Check out the announcement video for the tournament: THE BATTLEFIELDSAs the first 3v3 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition tournament, the Battle of Africa 2 offers a full handcart of unique strategies, tactics, and options for participating teams to synergize their play styles and civilization choices. A custom map pool has been designed for Battle of Africa 2 with an emphasis on open land maps. These maps are designed…

• Hidden Cup 3: The Road to the Grand Finals! - 16 March 2020

  WHAT: Hidden Cup 3 || Semifinals, Quarterfinals, and Live Grand Finals WHEN: Thursday, March 19 - Sunday, March 22 THE EVENT:It's that time! After the 32 player qualifier, the 16 Main Event participants have been decided. This week they will play with hidden identities to fight for over $50,000 in prizes. The action begins this Thursday as T90Official hosts the Hidden Cup 3 Main Event. The action resumes this Thursday as T90Official hosts the final eight matches on the road to the Quarterfinals! ⚔ Thursday, March 19th Games start at 14:00 GMT (7 AM PT / 10 AM ET) Charlemagne vs King Sancho Joan The Maid vs Bad Neighbor Leif Erikson vs Princess Yodit Kotyan Khan vs Sheriff of Nottingham ⚔ Friday, March 20thGames start at 14:00 GM (7 AM PT / 10 AM ET) Saladin vs Friar Tuck Alaric The Goth vs Vlad Dracula Henry The Lion vs William The Conqueror Charles Martel vs Emperor in a Barrel ⚔ Satur…

• Lunar New Year Sale - Age of Empires Franchise - Up to 75% Off! - 23 January 2020

  Now through January 27, games in the Age of Empires franchise are discounted from 25-75% off during the Steam Lunar New Year Sale! https://store.steampowered.com/app/813780/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1017900/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/105450/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/266840/ *Offer ends Monday, January 27 at 10AM Pacific time*

• How Age of Empires 2 got some Scottish kids into RTS - 5 January 2020

  Here's a question: How do you get a bunch of disillusioned kids in the arse end of Scotland into real time strategy games? I doubt it's a question the creators of Age of Empire 2 ever asked themselves but nonetheless, they provided a definitive answer. Now I can't help but wonder as I play through the recently released Definitive Edition, are there games that could manage similar feats? Better ones? The 90s in Scotland was a bit...rubbish. Especially in its deprived areas (poverty fell in the late 90s but in depressing statistics according to the CPAG, it seems to be once more on the rise once again). It was difficult to be surrounded by the remains of a post-industrial nation and feel any sense of pride or hope about the future or present, never mind the past. Then along came Braveheart. It might sound dumb to credit one film (made by Hollywood with an American fielding a questionable…

• Wot I Think: Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition - 14 November 2019

  Developer: Forgotten Empires, Tantalus Media, Wicked Witch Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Release: Out now On: Windows From: Microsoft , Steam Price: 15/$20/ 20 Age Of Empires 2 is, as far as I m concerned, the greatest real-time strategy game of all time. And with the release of Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition , it s well, it s still that. But now, there s a lot more of it. It s brilliant. Still, virtually every design decision its quality rests on was made twenty years ago, and what few changes have been to its inner workings are fairly conservative. Make no mistake: this is much more of a compilation job than it is any kind of reimagining. But then, crucially, there s also nothing added that dilutes the success of the original, either. While its early-2000s successors, Age of Mythology and Age Of Empires 3, were both good games, they suffered from their attempts to innovate on a pr…

• Pre-order Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, available this November 14! - 19 August 2019

  Today, we are thrilled to announce that Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will be coming to the Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) and Ultimate, and Steam on November 14, 2019! For all you Age II players eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the Definitive Edition, you can also pre-order the game starting TODAY! You’ll be able to enjoy all the features—including cross play with your friends, four brand-new civilizations, three new campaigns, and a transport ship full of game improvements—right on day one, so be sure to unlock your copy today: Pre-order Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on Steam Our goal is to make the best possible version of Age II that we can, working right alongside our community. So while Age II DE’s release is only a few months away, you can sign up to participate in the Age II DE beta right now—visit ageofempires.com/insiders to join the Age…

• E3 2019 Recap: A New Age for Empires! - 14 June 2019

  What a week it has been! As always, E3 brings out the passion and excitement of the community, and this year was no exception! This year, the folks from the newly-created Age of Empires studio at Microsoft Games teamed up with our friends from Forgotten Empires to show off our work over the past year: bringing you a first look, a hands-on demo, and the chance to sign up for the first beta playtest of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! https://youtu.be/ZOgBVR21pWg The announcement during Microsoft’s Keynote presentation kicked off a flood of news, discussion, and announcements from the event. On the heels of the official gameplay trailer, press and players began discussing and sharing news about all of the new features coming with the game. Here are just a few of the articles you can read to catch up with the conversation: E3 2019: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Launching Fall…

• Age of Empires 2's Definitive Edition shows that resurrection is more fun than remastery - 11 June 2019

  Ave, citizens! It is I – Ghoastus, the famous Roman Ghost. This week, I have been haunting the streets of Los Angeles, in eager anticipation of all the thrilling Roman content soon to spill from the mouth of the games industry, like half-digested dormice from the maw of an overfed senator. And yet, alas: I have found little to stir the patriotic embers that smoulder in my Roman soul at EIII. Those naughty Greeks have had a little time in the American sun, but it seems nobody cares much for us Romans this year. Nobody that is, except for Microsoft, who announced a thrilling new Definitive Edition for Age of Empires II , coming out this Autumn. (more…)

• E3 Mixer Stream - Watch AoEII: DE LIVE! - 10 June 2019

  Looking for more #E32019 insight into Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition? Microsoft Creative Director, Adam Isgreen, will join Bert Beeckman (aka Cysion) from Forgotten Empires to play and discuss the game this coming Wednesday on Mixer! When: Wednesday, June 12 @ 10:45a PDT / 1:45a EDT / 5:45p GMT Where: https://mixer.com/ageofempires Latest Info: https://twitter.com/ageofempires See you soon!

• Age of Empires @ E3 2019: Sign up for the beta of AoEII: Definitive Edition! - 9 June 2019

  Its official—E3 2019 has begun! Our villagers are working diligently to complete the final touches of our booth and are eager to share with you Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. In addition to stopping by and trying out the demo on the floor, we have a special treat for all our fans, both here in attendance and around the world. As you may have heard, we will be launching a closed beta test of Age II: DE on Steam very soon! Invites will be sent out to our esteemed Age of Empires Insiders in multiple waves over the coming weeks. Our goal is to get as many of our fans’ hands on the game as early as possible, listening to your valuable feedback and ultimately building a great game – together. Not an Age Insider yet? Join the program by clicking here and have a chance at participating in the beta! For our existing Age of Empires Insiders, we’ll need you to connect your Steam account wi…

• Daily Deal - Age of Empires II HD & Age of Empires III, 75% Off - 6 June 2019

  Today's Deal: Save 75% on Age of Empires II HD & Age of Empires III !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Saturday at 10AM Pacific Time

• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition at E3 - 3 June 2019

  Recently, we announced three of our Definitive Editions will be coming to Steam, giving our community the choice of where they want to play. With E3 fast approaching, kicking off with Microsoft’s Keynote on Sunday, June 9, we are excited to announce that we will be on the floor with Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! Attendees will be able to experience stunning 4K Ultra HD graphics, a new, fully remastered soundtrack, and 4 new civilizations during an on-hands demo of the game. Not attending E3? Not a problem. Click here to sign up as an Age of Empires Insider and stay up to date on all things Age announced during the conference as well as get access to perks such as: Updates about the latest developments to the Age of Empires franchise Opportunities to provide input to the development teams via Insider surveys The chance to be selected as a participant in special playtesting event…

• Age of Empires Definitive Editions are coming to Steam! - 30 May 2019

  Today we announced that Age of Empires I, II, and III Definitive Editions are coming to Steam! Click here for more info!

• Make your voice heard: Take the Age of Empires Community Survey today! - 17 May 2019

  The community is the future of Age of Empires, and we want to know what's important to you! TAKE THE SURVEY Your participation helps shape the future of the Age of Empires franchise. Thank you for your contribution! Best The Age of Empires Team

• Steam Winter Sale: Age of Empires II HD 80% off right now! - 27 December 2018

  If you're looking for a holiday gift for your historical-RTS-loving buddy, have we got a deal for you! Pro tip: download the T90 Christmas Mod from the Steam Workshop to add a little holiday cheer to your matchups! Also, all the other Age of Empires Steam offerings, including Age of Empires III, Age of Mythology, and all associated DLCs, are on CRAZY discount right now: Age of Empires Legacy Bundle

Patch notes and updates