Age of Empires 4 With Big Anniversary Update [UPDATE]
Age of Empires 4 received patch 24916, which introduced two new civilizations and additional maps.
Update
Unfortunately, the update turned out to be quite problematic. Players report that after installing it, the game does not find some required files. The developers are currently investigating the issue.
Some fans report that the problem can be circumvented by switching the Windows language to English.
Original message
Age of Empires is celebrating its 25th birthday. Yesterday, Microsoft announced Age of Mythology Retold and a console version of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, while the latest installment of the brand, i.e. Age of Empires IV, received a a major update with new content.
Age of Empires 4 Update 24916 in details
The patch is numbered 24916 and was made available simultaneously on Steam and Microsoft Store. It brings a number of new features and changes, including:
- two new civilizations (Ottomans and Malians) along with their associated challenges and achievements,
- eight new maps and two additional biomes,
- the start of the third ranked season, offering new rewards and the option to play in ranked team skirmishes,
- the possibility to use so-called Taunts - audio messages sent to other players - and the option to enrich gameplay with cheats,
- thoroughly refreshed balance of naval skirmishes,
- the option to create multi-point markers on the map to delineate the march paths of units,
Recall that Age of Empires 4 debuted on PC last October. The game is available on Steam and Microsoft Store, and also as part of the Game Pass subscription. There are also plans for an Xbox Series X/S console release, but for now we don't know exactly when it is expected to debut.
The game has met with a warm reception. On Metacritic Age of Empires IV has an average rating of 81%, and our editor gave the title a 8.0/10. On Steam, on the other hand, 86% of user reviews praise the game, which is categorized as a "very positive" reception.
