Age of Empires turns 25 on October 25, and the Age of Empires IV Anniversary Update will roll out on that day to help celebrate. The patch includes two new playable civilisations, along with new mastery challenges and achievements, plus eight new map types and biomes for the RTS game.
The October 25 patch will also mark the start of Age of Empires IV Season Three, which will introduce ranked team games to the competitive side.
The Ottomans have appeared in Age of Empires before, first showing up as the Turks in Age of Empires II and then as the Ottomans in Age of Empires III. They specialise in gunpowder and artillery, and can field larger armies than most other factions thanks to their special military schools system for unit production.
The Malians, on the other hand, are built around their gold-based economy, opting for hit-and-run and ambush tactics over costly pitched warfare. They can build pit mines over gold deposits, which provide a steady income stream, and have the unique ability to raise cattle for food.
The Anniversary Update for Age of Empires IV also includes naval balance improvements and a new waypoint system for unit commands.
Our guides to Age of Empires 4 keyboard shortcuts and Age of Empires 4 cheats will help you make sure you’ve always got plenty of gold coming into your treasury while you’re busy out on the battlefield.