Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launched on macOS on May 28, 2026, alongside the Last Chieftains DLC, which introduced three new civilizations, new campaigns, and expanded naval warfare features. This update significantly enhanced gameplay with a focus on South America's historical narratives and unique mechanics.

• New Civilizations: The Last Chieftains DLC introduced the Mapuche, Muisca, and Tupi civilizations, each with unique units like the Guecha Warrior, Kona, and Blackwood Archer, as well as specific bonuses and technologies.
  • Mapuche Unique Technology: Malon, allowing Bolas Riders to deal pass-through damage.
  • Muisca Unique Technology: Huaracas, giving Slingers added range.
  • Tupi Unique Technology: Curare, enabling poison damage for foot archers.
• Expanded Naval Warfare: The update brought new naval gameplay elements, including four new ships and technologies, such as the Hulk and Catapult Galleon, refreshing water combat dynamics.

• Dynamic Campaigns: Players experienced interactive narrative choices in the El Dorado campaign, alongside historical figures like Lautaro and Pacanchique.

• Gameplay Enhancements: A naval overhaul introduced a new Hulk-line of ships, and all new civilizations became available for ranked play, allowing for varied strategic options.

• Quality of Life Improvements: The update added a cross-platform voice chat feature for multiplayer lobbies, enhancing communication between players.

• Seasonal Event: The Red Bull Wololo: Londinium event reset the Empire Wars 1v1 ladder from January 2 to 18, 2026, creating a competitive environment for players during this period.

Chronicles: Alexander the Great DLC launched on October 14, 2025, introducing a narrative-driven campaign that chronicles the life of one of history's greatest conquerors. This expansion features three new civilizations: Macedonians, Thracians, and Puru, each with unique units and architecture. Additionally, the earlier The Three Kingdoms DLC released on May 6, 2025, added five new civilizations based on Chinese history, along with three new campaigns.

• New Civilizations:
  • Macedonians, Thracians, Puru introduced with the Chronicles: Alexander the Great DLC.
  • Shu, Wei, Wu, Jurchens, Khitans added in The Three Kingdoms DLC.

• New Campaigns:
  • A Grand Campaign with 18 Scenarios based on Alexander the Great, including unique scenarios for the Thracians and Puru.
  • Three New Campaigns in The Three Kingdoms DLC featuring narratives from Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and the Sun Clan.

• Gameplay Enhancements:
  • Fortified Outposts and new units like phalangites and war elephants introduced in the Chronicles: Alexander the Great update.
  • A Naval Gameplay Overhaul revamped naval combat, adding new ship types and strategies.

• Visual and Audio Upgrades:
  • Animated Mosaic Cutscenes added to enhance storytelling in the campaigns.
  • New Original Music Tracks were introduced, featuring 13 tracks to elevate the gameplay experience.

• Balance Changes:
  • Various balance adjustments were implemented, including HP and cost adjustments for several units, such as the Jurchens Grenadier and Fire Lancer.

• Seasonal Event:
  • A partnership with the Louvre in June 2025 introduced collaborative content related to the Mamluk sultanate.

Chronicles: Battle for Greece launched on November 14, 2024, marking a significant expansion for *Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition* with a narrative-driven campaign and three new civilizations: Achaemenids, Athenians, and Spartans. This year also saw the Victors and Vanquished DLC release on March 29, 2024, which introduced new scenarios and characters, enhancing the single-player experience.

• New Civilizations: The Chronicles DLC added the Achaemenids, Athenians, and Spartans, each featuring unique mechanics and a dedicated campaign spanning 21 scenarios that include famous battles like Marathon and Thermopylae.
  • New Naval Units: Six new military ship classes, including Catapult Ships and Leviathans, enhanced naval gameplay and strategy options.
• Enhanced Storytelling: The expansion introduced animated cutscenes, professional voice acting, and new music, enriching the narrative experience across the new campaign scenarios.
• Gameplay Mechanics: New features like customizable Town Centers, government policies, and a new resource called Oysters added depth to empire management and gameplay variety.
• Balance Changes: The new civilizations were not available in ranked play to maintain game balance, and several balance adjustments were implemented across various maps to improve resource generation and accessibility.
• Seasonal Events: The Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament was announced, promising competitive play across multiple Age of Empires titles and enhancing community engagement.

The Mountain Royals DLC launched on October 31, 2023, introducing two new civilizations, the Georgians and Armenians, along with three new fully-voiced campaigns: Tamar, Thoros the Great, and Ismail. This followed the Return of Rome DLC, released on May 26, 2023, which was hailed as the largest DLC in Age of Empires II history, adding 17 new civilizations, new campaigns, and a competitive D3 game mode.

• New Civilizations: The Mountain Royals added the Georgians and Armenians, while Return of Rome introduced 16 new civilizations, including the Romans and Lac Viet.
  • New Units: The Savar unique unit debuted in The Mountain Royals, enhancing the Cavalier with additional ranged armor.
• Campaign Additions: Three new campaigns were included in The Mountain Royals, while Return of Rome featured campaigns focused on Sargon of Akkad, Pyrrhus of Epirus, and Trajan.
• Gameplay Mechanics: The Return of Rome introduced a new D3 competitive game mode, emphasizing aggressive early-game strategies and changes to resource drop-off mechanics.
• Balance Updates: Major adjustments were made, including an update for the Persian civilization, which now starts with additional resources and has improved unit capabilities.
• Seasonal Events: The Minecraft Legends Event ran from June 27 to July 11, 2023, featuring exclusive rewards and challenges, while the Return of Rome Event celebrated the new DLC with additional in-game tasks.

Dynasties of India DLC launched on April 28, 2022, marking a significant expansion for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. This update introduced three unique civilizations—Bengalis, Dravidians, and Gurjaras—along with new campaigns that delve into historical narratives of India. Additionally, the expansion added a host of new content, gameplay features, and seasonal events throughout the year.

• New Campaigns: The DLC included three new fully-voiced campaigns centered around Babur, Rajendra, and Devapala, enriching the game's storytelling.
• New Civilizations: Players gained access to the Bengalis, Dravidians, and Gurjaras civilizations, each bringing unique units and technologies to the gameplay.
• Co-operative Campaigns: The introduction of fully co-operative historical battles allowed players to team up in new ways, enhancing the multiplayer experience.
• Ranked Map Rotations: Multiple ranked map rotations occurred throughout the year, including new community-selected maps for both 1v1 and team games, ensuring fresh gameplay options.
• Seasonal Events: The year featured various events, such as the 25th Anniversary Event and the Penguin Party Event, offering unique challenges and rewards to engage players.

Dawn of the Dukes launched on August 10, 2021, marking the second expansion for *Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition* and introducing two new civilizations: the Poles and the Bohemians. This update also added three new campaigns and unique units for each new civilization, significantly expanding gameplay options. Additionally, the Lords of the West expansion was released earlier in January, bringing the Sicilians and Burgundians into the fold.

• New Civilizations: The Poles and Bohemians introduced unique units and technologies, enhancing strategic depth.
  • Unique units for the Poles included the Obuch infantry and Winged Hussar cavalry.
  • The Bohemians featured the Hussite Wagon and Houfnice.
• Campaign Additions: The Dawn of the Dukes expansion added campaigns focused on the Algirdas and Kestutis, Jadwiga, and Jan Zizka. The Lords of the West expansion introduced campaigns like Edward Longshanks and The Hautevilles.
• Gameplay Enhancements: A new Co-Op mode allowed players to engage in cooperative gameplay, and Empire Wars mode introduced a fast-paced start by beginning in the Feudal Age.
• Balance Changes: Notable adjustments were made to various civilizations, including the Burgundians and Sicilians, affecting their gameplay mechanics and performance.
• Seasonal Events: The November Anniversary Event celebrated the game's first year with special challenges and rewards, while the Halloween Event introduced themed tasks and unlockables.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launched on November 14, 2019, marking the start of its first year with significant updates and new content. Notably, the Battle Royale Mode was introduced on October 27, 2020, allowing up to 8 players to engage in a free-for-all combat experience. Additionally, several new civilizations and campaigns were added to enhance the gameplay experience.

• Major Content Drops:
  • Launch of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on November 14, 2019, available on Microsoft Store, Steam, and Xbox Game Pass for PC.
  • Battle Royale Mode launched on October 27, 2020, featuring a new competitive gameplay style.

• New Content:
  • Four new civilizations introduced at launch, expanding strategic options.
  • Three new campaigns added to the game, enriching the narrative experience.
  • May-hem Event launched on May 28, 2020, featuring new profile icons, visual mods, and challenges.
  • Capture Age Integration for enhanced spectating introduced on May 3, 2020, improving the viewing experience for matches.

• New Systems / Mechanics:
  • Map Ban System implemented for ranked matchmaking, allowing players to ban specific maps.
  • Community Voting for Ranked Map Pools introduced on July 9, 2020, enabling players to influence map selections.

• Balance & Gameplay:
  • Various Civilization Balance Changes implemented throughout the year, including adjustments to the Berbers, Goths, and Khmer.
  • Fixed Instantaneous Technology Research Issue on May 28, 2020, resolving a significant gameplay exploit.

• Seasonal Events:
  • Anniversary Event launched on February 27, 2020, featuring daily challenges and exclusive rewards.
  • Spring Celebration Event held from March 31 to April 14, offering themed challenges and rewards.