Age of Empires II: HD Edition 
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Scientists use Age of Empires 2 to investigate how ants wage warSep 15, 2023 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunWe 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 DiscountJan 31, 2022 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/4457527/63e3feda73888e78d1f1f373596a2d6db7beabfb.png 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 2Dec 26, 2021 - Strategy GamerEveryone 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 civilisation discovered on Mars, eventually making your way to a UAC corporation base that's been invaded, as they inevitably all are, by a horde of demons. After that, you'll have to travel to the moons of Phobos and Deimos to shut down the hell portals there. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Age of Empires 2's Overreign mod lets you wololo in first person Microsoft is sponsoring a year-long Age of Empires 2 competitive league Command ballista elephants and lead Vietnam in Age of Empires II's Rise of the Rajas Age of Empires IV Launch Trailer – Watch Now!Oct 25, 2021 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/5856339/9bcef1314cedc8d288a3fb88e1e4cf9f20480e94.jpg 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. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/4457527/2ba9ec2ee2ae03651b2dff9062271d25f7362e0a.jpg 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!Jan 26, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsAVAILABLE 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 modern-day France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Carving a new polity out of French, English, and Holy Roman domains was a daunting task that came with a high price: decades of war and bloodshed. However, the Burgundians knew to use more than just warfare to get what they wanted. Their diplomatic and marriage policies proved to be even stronger than their swords. ▶︎ CIVILIZATION BONUSES Economic upgrades are available one Age earlier than other civs Stable technologies are 50% cheaper Gunpowder units gain a +25% bonus to their attack Cavalier upgrade is available in the Castle Age ▶︎ TEAM BONUS Relics generate both Gold and Food ▶︎ UNIQUE UNITS Coustillier: Burgundian cavalry unit that utilizes a powerful shock attack when charging into battle. Strong vs. infantry and archers. Weak vs. Camel Riders and Monks. Flemish Militia: Burgundian unique infantry unit. Strong vs. cavalry. Weak vs. archers. ▶︎ UNIQUE TECHNOLOGIES Burgundian Vineyards: Convert all food into gold at a 2:1 ratio; Farmers slowly generate gold in addition to food. Flemish Revolution: Upgrades all existing Villagers into Flemish Militia, and allows the training of Flemish Militia at Town Centers. ▶︎ FULL TECHNOLOGY TREE https://static.ageofempires.com/aoe/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/lotw_burgundiantechtree.png New Civ! The Sicilians https://static.ageofempires.com/aoe/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/age-of-empires-2-de-sicilians.jpg Experience the diverse cultures and martial spirit of the Mediterranean’s crossroads as you build one of the most coveted kingdoms of medieval Europe. Robert Guiscard arrived in Italy in 1047 CE with a robber-band of 35 men. Within a century, his Hauteville family included dukes in Italy, princes in the Middle East, and even the King of Sicily. Join this intrepid family of Norman adventurers and complete their unlikely and compelling story, starting with Robert Guiscard’s arrival in Italy to his nephew Roger II’s consolidation of the Hauteville lands into the Kingdom of Sicily. The Italo-Normans, as the conquerors and rulers in Norman Italy and Sicily are now known, wer...Battle of Africa 2: The Main Event!May 14, 2020 - Community Announcementshttps://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 to encourage aggressive, fast-paced gameplay throughout the entire tournament—what's certain to result in an out-of-this-world viewing experience. Download the Custom Map PackThe qualification phase started on 1st of May with 16 teams battling it out for a position in the tournament. The top 8 teams will qualify for the main event; the 8 losing teams will move into the Gold League, a separate bracket from the Main Event. THE TEAMSWith teams such as Aftermath, Team Secret, Suomi, Vietnam Legends and YinYang competing, it's going to be a hard-fought battle to the end. Will TheViper, TaToH and DauT of Team Secret hold on to their title as the reigning champions in the Battle of Africa? Tournament Brackets WATCH LIVE!You can catch all of the action with tournament host, MembTV, or can follow along with your regional shoutcasters thanks to the tournament's open streaming policy. Qualification Stage || 16th of May - 17th of May Round 1 & 2 || 22nd of May - 24th of May Round 3 & Quarterfinals || 30th of May - 31st of May Semi-finals || 6th of June Grand Final || 7th of June 2020 has been an outstanding year for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and the Battle of Africa 2 tournament will be no exception! —Contributed by the Forgotten Empires Community Lead, BBQTurkmanHidden Cup 3: The Road to the Grand Finals!Mar 16, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35210618/ac1e7ff375bdad71b7237b9e06f5c0299582801c.jpg 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 ⚔ Saturday, March 21stGames start at 14:00 GMT (7 AM PT / 10 AM ET) Quarterfinals (Four Best-of-Five Games) ⚔ Sunday, March 22ndGames start at 14:00 GMT (7 AM PT / 10 AM ET) Semifinals (Two Best-of-Seven Games) Live Grand Final WATCH NOW!Tune in for all the action over on T90official's channel on twitch.tv: :arrowsright: For more information about the tournament, visit AoEZone! :arrowsleft::arrowsright: Tune in live at twitch.tv/t90official :arrowsleft: Lunar New Year Sale - Age of Empires Franchise - Up to 75% Off!Jan 23, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/4457527/62251909b214a8b57d33031f2428eac780324bb2.png 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 RTSJan 5, 2020 - EurogamerHere'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 Scottish accent in the lead role) with a surge in national pride but, well, it absolutely did cause one. Scotland's history, of outnumbered rebels fighting against English reign is easy to romanticise but it was also abstract for a load of folk. This over-the-top movie (whose historical inaccuracies are no better summed up than featuring the famed Battle of Stirling Bridge...with no bridge) made Scottish history tangible, emotional and inspiring. The fever that emerged among Scots following the film even had some English critics describing Braveheart as spreading "Anglophobia". Point is, finally there was some easy sense of identity for young folk to latch on to. I cannot overstate how much this film was watched when I was growing up. Then four years later along comes Age of Empires 2 with a campaign about the Scottish Wars of Independence. Another American production (from the now sadly defunct Ensemble Studios), it doesn't take much to imagine that this was likely an inclusion entirely as a result of Braveheart's success (it won five Oscars, including best picture) but the effect was surprising. See, a lot of kids my age didn't have much time for video games beyond FIFA or whatever. Maybe some Tekken. Games were an occasional thing, not a hobby. See Age of Empires 2 though? You could play as the Scots. No video game lets you be Scottish. Even today if you wanna be Scottish in a video game your best hope is as a dwarven warrior in some fantasy RPG. Read more Wot I Think: Age Of Empires 2 Definitive EditionNov 14, 2019 - Rock, Paper, Shotgun 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 proven formula. Altering the formula of a classic is always a risk – and in Ensemble Studios case, it was one that didn t pay off. Bravo then to former modders Forgotten Empires, who tinkered with the game they loved long enough to inherit it, and yet never went too far. While the king of RTS games still doesn t have a successor, he s looking bloody good in his old age. (more…) Pre-order Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, available this November 14!Aug 19, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsToday, 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 Insider program – and help us tune and refine Age II even further. You’ll also have a chance to participate in future beta opportunities, so sign up! For more information, visit the official announcement over on Xbox Wire. We’ll see you on the battlefield!E3 2019 Recap: A New Age for Empires!Jun 14, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsWhat 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 2019, Beta Coming Soon via Xbox Wire Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and new campaign coming to Xbox Game Pass via Polygon Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition lives up to its title via Destructoid E3 2019: Hands-on with Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Coming This Fall with Xbox Game Pass on PC via The Video Games Age of Empires II is coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta)! via Xbox Game Pass Age of Empires II: HD Edition Won’t Be Taken Off Steam When Definitive Edition Launches via DualShockers Throughout the week—with the help of the new and official Age of Empires Discord server—players have been doing some speculation of their own. The conversation has been amazing…the hype has been real…and we’ve even managed to answer several questions that caused some concern following the announcement. Here are some of the hottest discussion topics to emerge from E3 this week: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition at E3 via the Official Forum AoE2 Definitive Edition Trailer Breakdown and Screenshots via YouTube AOE 2 DE new civilizations revealed! via Reddit Age of Empires II DE – E3 2019 – Gameplay Trailer via Reddit As a final treat, Mixer set aside some time to chat with Microsoft’s Adam Isgreen and Forgotten Empires’ Bert Beeckman about the game. While short, it provided a glimpse at a different experience than the E3 demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdqS0S2CgcQ The week was HUGE for Age of Empires, the development team, and has been the PERFECT way to kick off the transition into the first beta of the Definitive Edition. If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up as an Age Insider for a chance to participate in the first playtest on June 18: Sign up to be an Age Insider! We also know there are still questions that remain after E3: about the Definitive Edition and some of the other projects we have in the works. We hear you, and we’re excited to share more information, teasers, and details as they get further along in development. Age of Empires 4 is ‘making good progress’, and Microsoft will talk about it later this year via PCGamer A huge thanks t...Age of Empires 2's Definitive Edition shows that resurrection is more fun than remasteryJun 11, 2019 - Rock, Paper, Shotgun 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!Jun 10, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsLooking 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!Jun 9, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsIts 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 with your Age of Empires Insider profile. This will enable you to be eligible for participation in the beta and share your feedback about the game with us! If you have any questions on the Age Insider program, including how to connect your existing account to Steam, check out our handy FAQ here. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well as check out our brand-new Official Age of Empires Discord channel here. #E3EmpiresDaily Deal - Age of Empires II HD & Age of Empires III, 75% OffJun 6, 2019 - AnnouncementToday'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 E3Jun 3, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsRecently, 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 events for unreleased Age titles and features Continue the conversation on the official Age of Empires forums and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@AgeOfEmpires). #E3EmpiresAge of Empires Definitive Editions are coming to Steam!May 30, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsToday 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!May 17, 2019 - Community AnnouncementsThe 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 TeamSteam Winter Sale: Age of Empires II HD 80% off right now!Dec 27, 2018 - Community AnnouncementsIf 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
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