The website for the historical real-time strategy game Age of Empires recently published its 2020 In Review post, as many gaming sites have been doing this month. Written by Shannon Loftis, Studio Head of World’s Edge, the post reflects on the many accomplishments made with the Age of Empires (AoE) series, with focus on the Definitive Editions of AoE II and III, and with a very brief note on the upcoming AoE IV.
Loftis commenced with a word of gratitude for the entire AoE player base, for all the “dedicated, passionate, inclusive, creative, and funny as hell” fans who spent their time in-game this year, and who shared their memes, stream, TikToks, feedback, and forum conversations with the whole community. Loftis also extended thanks on behalf of World’s Edge and its partners at Forgotten Empires, Relic, Wicked Witch, and Tantalus.
Loftis continues by mentioning that AoEII Definitive Edition has been updated “a LOT”. Just this year, the game received CaptureAge, the Battle Royale mode, ranked map rotations, and the ability to run on MacOS “thanks to our partnership with Parallels”. As we tip over into the new year, it’s just a couple of weeks until the release of Lords of the West DLC, which you can still preorder here before the scheduled January 26, 2021 launch date.
The studio also finally launched the full AoEIII Definitive Edition this year, which Loftis stated “was not only the culmination of a labor of love, but was also the launch of our second “game as a service” after Age of Empires II: DE.” This game has a particularly honorable importance in that the studio actively employed “Native, First Nations, and Indigenous consultants” to help repair those disrespectful and misrepresented nations in-game. Loft considered it a privilege to be able to work with consultants “Tony Brave, Cedric Goodhouse, Tokala Black Elk, and Ro’nikonhkátste Norton”, and for learning about the Lakota and Haudenosaunee cultures, all of which helped make AoEIII DE a proud gaming achievement.
Lastly, Loftis cues up the jelly feelings for AoE IV with the admission that “we are literally playing this game every single day”. There’s no word on an expected release date, but everything seems to be developing smoothly, despite having to shift to working from home and modifying all the processes that required. Loftis ended by writing that they can’t tell us everything the studio has in the works, and throws in an italicized “future projects” as a final kicker. All said, it seems that Age of Empires fans have much to look forward to in 2021.
Source: Age of Empires