Age of Empires II
News, coverage and analysis tracking Age of Empires II across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Playing RTS with a controller? Total War: Warhammer 40,000 dev says it 'really does work' in their game:…
Creative Assembly, the developer behind Total War: Warhammer 40,000, believes it is a myth that Real-Time Strategy games cannot work well with controllers. Studio representative Dave Petry stated that the team has developed a control scheme that "really does work" for consoles, citing Halo Wars 2 as a successful example. The studio aims to make the RTS experience accessible to players who prefer using a gamepad.
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros isn't even out yet and it already feels ancient
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, an upcoming RTS based on the HBO series, is criticized for feeling dated and ill-timed, especially with its 2027 release date following the show's conclusion in 2019. While competent, the game's Age of Empires-style mechanics fail to capture the epic scale of the source material, leading to a dry and predictable experience despite some factional asymmetry.
Roadmaps and Plans
Xbox Wire has published the second part of a discussion on the future of Age of Empires, detailing current plans and roadmaps. Additionally, a preview of Order of Kings Season 3 highlights new gameplay features and special unit types, while The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is also mentioned.
Vilka är det som jobbar med FZ?
This article introduces the staff behind the Swedish gaming website FZ, describing them as passionate gamers with diverse tastes and strong opinions. It highlights their backgrounds, favorite games, music, films, and books, aiming to connect them with the FZ community.
RTS games aren't dead yet - but nothing hits quite like Starcraft 2
Despite the rise of newer RTS titles and the enduring popularity of Starcraft 2, the genre's current state is questioned, with many modern games failing to match Starcraft 2's campaign quality. The article highlights Starcraft 2's exceptional mission design, narrative integration, and accessible free-to-play model as reasons for its continued relevance, while acknowledging the struggles of newer RTS projects like Stormgate and Battle Aces.
Xbox After The Layoffs: Studios Left And What They’re Making
Xbox has undergone significant restructuring, including layoffs and the divestment of five studios, as it aims to increase profitability and focus on major intellectual properties. This shake-up impacts numerous development teams and projects across Xbox Game Studios, Activision, Blizzard, and Bethesda, with a renewed focus on core franchises and a shift in business strategies like the exclusion of Call of Duty from Xbox Game Pass day-one launches.
Xbox has lost five studios – so who is left to make new video games?
Xbox has undergone significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 staff members and leading to five studios divesting from the company. Xbox leadership aims to refocus on core franchises and expand its daily audience to over a billion people through its services. The article details the remaining studios, their current projects, and their future prospects under this new strategy.
WRUP: Things the cat tube produces edition
This week's "What Are You Playing" roundup features community members discussing their gaming plans, including Guild Wars 2, Star Wars Galaxies Legends, The Division 2, and Warframe. Several staff members also shared personal anecdotes about unique family traditions, ranging from elaborate fireworks displays to specific holiday meals and egg-cracking games.
Age Of Empires Mobile: PC Edition Is A Different Kind Of Empire Builder
Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition, a free-to-play version of the mobile strategy game, is now available on PC via the Xbox Store and Steam. This version is rebuilt for mouse and keyboard controls, featuring a faster pace and enhanced visuals, but is not available on Xbox consoles. It supports cross-play and cross-progression with the mobile version.
Microsoft researcher builds goat-powered neural network in Age of Empires 2 to show why we should 'stop assuming that LLMs behave like humans just because they were trained with natural language'
Microsoft researcher Adrian de Wynter created a neural network within Age of Empires 2 using goats and grass to represent binary data, demonstrating that complex systems can be built from simple components. This experiment aims to highlight how easily humans anthropomorphize large language models, arguing against assuming human-like behavior simply because they are trained on natural language.
Civilization is the most iconic turn-based series of all time, but Sid Meier considered making it an RTS: 'It could have easily gone in different directions'
Sid Meier, the creator of the Civilization series, revealed that the iconic turn-based strategy game was initially considered as a real-time strategy title, similar to Age of Empires. Meier and Bruce Shelley explored this direction after the success of Railroad Tycoon, but ultimately decided that a turn-based approach would better suit the game's complexity and accessibility. Despite this, the exploration of RTS concepts influenced later games like Age of Empires and Rise of Nations.
WRUP: Every toy version of G1 Devastator from Transformers
This article examines the evolution of the G1 Devastator toy from Transformers across various iterations, including the original 1985 release, Universe (2003), Combiner Wars (2015), and Studio Series (2025). It also includes community members' thoughts on effective and ineffective advertising.
Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition Launches June 23 - Wishlist Now! - Age of Empires - World's Edge Studio
Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition is set to launch on June 23 for PC via Steam, the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass. This version offers enhanced 4K visuals, mouse and keyboard controls, and seamless cross-play with the mobile version, allowing players to build empires across devices. The game aims to grow the Age of Empires franchise by attracting new players while providing existing mobile fans with more ways to play.
Wine 11.10 is out with vkd3d 2.0, VBScript compatibility improvements and more
The latest development release of the Wine compatibility layer, version 11.10, is now available. This update includes an upgrade to vkd3d version 2.0, reimplemented XPath support, and further VBScript compatibility improvements. Several bugs were resolved, affecting games like Star Wars Racer, Age of Empires III, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
25 '90s Games That Hold Up Perfectly Today (And Where to Play Them) | TAG
This article identifies 25 video games from the 1990s that remain enjoyable for modern players, distinguishing between titles that hold up with no caveats and those that require specific versions or adjustments. It highlights how 2D pixel art generally ages better than early 3D graphics and provides information on where each game can be legally played today.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Out Now for macOS
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is now available for macOS, developed by Feral Interactive and World's Edge. This real-time strategy game allows players to lead various civilizations through historical campaigns and skirmish modes. The macOS version is Apple Silicon-native and includes 4K visuals, a remastered soundtrack, and three base game expansions, with additional DLC available for purchase.
The Best Android RTS Games – Updated!
This guide highlights the best Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games available on Android, addressing the challenges of the genre on mobile platforms. It features titles like Company of Heroes, Rome: Total War, and Siege Up!, offering a variety of strategic experiences from historical battles to futuristic combat.
Competitive Gaming Events Are Becoming Bigger Entertainment Productions In 2026
Competitive gaming events in 2026 are evolving into large-scale entertainment productions, incorporating elements like live music, celebrity appearances, and festival-style programming to rival concerts and streaming premieres. This shift is driven by games becoming integral to broader entertainment lifestyles and publishers treating esports as a live product requiring robust production value. Events like Evo 2026 and the Esports World Cup exemplify this trend, aiming to attract diverse audiences beyond core esports fans.
WRUP: The context of this is that something very good happened to Guillaume but at Etienne’s expense edition
This article is a weekly roundup of what games the Massively OP community and staff are playing, featuring a bonus question about car preferences in video games. Contributors discuss their weekend gaming plans across various titles including Star Wars Galaxies Legends, Guild Wars 2, The Division 2, and Final Fantasy XIV, while also sharing their favorite types of cars in games, ranging from vintage to sports models.
Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings retrospective – The millennial medieval masterwork proves that there's…
This retrospective on Age of Empires 2 highlights its accessible design and enduring appeal within the real-time strategy genre. Despite its age, the game's straightforward mechanics, focus on historical detail, and blend of strategic combat with city-building elements make it a timeless classic. The article also touches on its impactful soundtrack and the nuanced portrayal of conflict and environmental consequences.
