Age of Empires remains one of the most iconic names in PC strategy games. Organize your workers, build out your settlement, scavenge for resources, and end up with a grand, sprawling city, replete with magnificent walls that span for miles and filled with armies to conquer all comers. The series stands alongside the likes of Civilization, Crusader Kings, and Total War, along with promising newcomers such as the upcoming Manor Lords, and now there’s a new entry on the way – but not, perhaps, what you were expecting.
Following on from the launch of Civilization Eras and Allies, Age of Empires Mobile is a free-to-play new handheld entry in the long-running series of historical strategy games. Developed by Xbox Games’ AoE studio World’s Edge in collaboration with TiMi Studio Group, known best for its work on Call of Duty Mobile and the excellent Pokemon Unite, beta testing for the upcoming launch of Age of Empires Mobile begins soon, and you can pre-register now to stay up-to-date on both that and the official launch.
The new game aims to “introduce mobile players to some of the series’ most popular components, such as empire building and strategic battles on a huge, persistent battlefield and one-on-one, player versus player combat.” You’ll have options to play against both computer-controlled opponents and real people, and World’s Edge promises “dozens of historical and legendary leaders including King Arthur, Joan of Arc, Julius Caesar, Leonidas I, and the Queen of Sheba, each featuring their own talents.”
While it might not be quite the Age of Empires 5 announcement we might have been hoping for, I’m very interested to see how the team adapts its brand of real-time strategy to a mobile format. Age of Empires is a game typically much more focused on the macro elements of building and economy rather than micromanaging your battles, so I could see it being a good fit for mobile.
“We’re excited for even more players around the world to experience the magic of Age of Empires with the upcoming launch of Age of Empires Mobile,” World’s Edge senior director of production Earnest Yuen says. TiMi Studio general manager Brayden Fan adds, “We grew up playing Age of Empires on our PCs and believe we can offer a new but similarly exciting experience for mobile players with Age of Empires Mobile.”
Age of Empires Mobile is set to launch in 2024 as a free game, with beta testing beginning soon. You can find out more details and pre-register for updates at the official site.
If you’d rather stick to your mouse and keyboard for now, we’ve got plenty of the best turn-based strategy games, or you can hone your battlefield skills with the best war games in 2024.
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