Is an Age of Empires II remaster or remake in development? An ESRB listing for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition was uncovered recently, so there’s definitely something. But with the game’s 20th Anniversary coming later this year, we won’t be surprised if Microsoft Studios makes the announcement soon.
Age of Empires II was originally launched in 1999, and was the second installment to Microsoft Studios’ pioneer real-time strategy game franchise. While the first title introduced players to ancient history - from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, from the Glory of Greece to the Rise of Rome - Age of Empires II was set in the middle-ages. Age of Empires II’s campaign begins with the the story of the Wars of Scottish Independence set in the 13th Century, but also includes campaigns for Joan of Arc, Barbarossa, Saladin, and more. Notably, Age of Empires II already received an HD ‘remaster’ back in 2013, although strictly speaking it was more of a graphics overhaul than anything else. Hopefully, an upcoming Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will modernize the game, and bring this RTS classic back into relevance.
Last year, the original Age of Empires got its own Definitive Edition. While there was a lot of hype around the remaster, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition was poorly received and was more or less considered a flop. With the promise of ultra high-definition graphics, 4K resolution support, and some gameplay improvements here and there, fans of the franchise were ecstatic when the first Age of Empires: Definitive Edition was announced in 2017. However, when the remaster came out in 2018, the game was riddled with bugs and problems, and was only available for purchase from the then-problematic Microsoft Store. Even after a slew of bug fixes and performance updates, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition still remains one of the biggest disappointments in recent gaming history.
The Age of Empires franchise is one of the oldest in the real-time strategy genre, with the first title having been released over 20 years ago, in 1997. Age of Empires II came out in 1999, and is due for its 20th Anniversary celebration this year. While nothing has been confirmed so far, we’re patiently awaiting the official announcement from Microsoft Studios. Hopefully they’ve learned from the fiasco that was Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, and make the sequel better and more enjoyable than ever before.
