Age of Empires II (Retired)

Tracked sources for Age of Empires II (Retired) were limited between 2021-04-09 and 2022-04-09, with only 1 verified change captured in this window. The recorded activity centers on Lunar New Year Sale Discount Adjustment and sits between Lords of the West Expansion Released on 2021-01-26 (dlc_release) and no later tracked updates in the current dataset, making this a light but still readable period in the game's history.

• Verified activity: 2022-01-31 - Lunar New Year Sale Discount Adjustment: Age of Empires II: HD Edition was mistakenly discounted by 75% during the Lunar New Year sale, which was corrected by applying the same discount to Age of Empires: Definitive Edition..
• What stands out: The period is defined more by a small number of isolated updates than by a large roadmap beat or expansion-sized release.
• Before this window: The closest earlier tracked activity was Lords of the West Expansion Released on 2021-01-26 (dlc_release).
• After this window: No later tracked activity is present in the current dataset.

Lords of the West Expansion launched on January 26, 2021, marking the first major expansion for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. This update introduced two new civilizations: the Sicilians and the Burgundians, each featuring unique bonuses, units, and technologies. Additionally, the expansion brought three new campaigns, including "The Hautevilles," which focuses on the Hauteville family in Italy, "The Grand Dukes of the West," centered around the Burgundian dukes, and "Edward Longshanks," which highlights the reign of Edward I of England.

• New Civilizations:
  • The Sicilians
  • The Burgundians
• New Campaigns:
  • The Hautevilles
  • The Grand Dukes of the West
  • Edward Longshanks
• New Achievements: Added achievements became available on Steam and the Microsoft Store.
• Tournament Schedule: The Battle of Africa 2 tournament was announced, featuring qualification stages on May 16-17, rounds on May 22-24, and finals on June 6-7, alongside a custom map pool designed for fast-paced gameplay.
• Seasonal Event: The Battle of Africa 2 Tournament returned, featuring top teams in a 3v3 format with a custom map pool.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launched on November 14, 2019, bringing with it a host of significant updates, including four new civilizations, three new campaigns, and improvements across the board. Players also experienced enhanced visuals and audio, with the game featuring stunning 4K Ultra HD graphics and a new fully remastered soundtrack.

• DLC Release: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition became available for pre-order on August 19, 2019, ahead of its launch.
• New Civilizations: The Definitive Edition introduced four new civilizations, expanding the strategic options available to players.
  • Included civilizations were detailed in the announcement on June 3, 2019.
• Gameplay Improvements: The Definitive Edition featured a transport ship that included various game improvements, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
• Visual Enhancements: The game showcased fully remastered graphics in 4K Ultra HD, providing a visually stunning experience for players.
• Audio Upgrade: A new, fully remastered soundtrack was added, enriching the audio experience of the game.

The Ranked Play Elo System Patch launched on July 25, 2018, marking a significant update for competitive players in the open beta. This period also saw the release of Balance Patch 5.8 on August 3, 2018, which introduced various improvements and balance changes aimed at enhancing competitive play.

• Balance Adjustments: Numerous balance changes were made to improve gameplay, including:
  • Slavic farming bonus adjustment reduced the multiplier from 1.31 to 1.28.
  • (Elite) Rattan Archers received a +5 HP increase.
  • Korean fortifications bonus adjustment reduced the building speed for Towers.
  • Mamelukes now take 5 less damage from Halberdiers.
  • Fire Galleys' damage to fishing ships reduced from 3 to 1.
  • (Elite) Camel Archers' training time increased by 4 seconds.
  • Multiple civilization adjustments, such as Indian camels losing the +1 melee armor bonus and Khmer receiving the Arbalest upgrade.
• Gameplay Mechanics: The Ranked Play Elo System Patch included fixes for ranked play Elo system issues, enhancing the competitive experience.

The October 23, 2017, update introduced the new Imperial Skirmisher and Elite Genitour units, enhancing gameplay in Imperial Age scenarios. This update also implemented password-protected lobbies, allowing hosts greater control over their games. Notably, significant balance changes were made, including the removal of the Arbalest upgrade for the Indians and adjustments to various unit stats.

• New Units: The Imperial Skirmisher and Elite Genitour became available in Imperial Age scenarios, expanding strategic options for players.
• Lobby Enhancements: The introduction of password-protected lobbies allowed hosts to secure their games, improving the multiplayer experience.
• Gameplay Improvements: Villagers now lure animals to town centers more frequently, enhancing resource gathering efficiency.
• Balance Changes: Major adjustments included the removal of the Arbalest upgrade for Indians and a cost reduction for Magyar cavalry, improving their competitive viability.
• AI Fixes: The AI received numerous improvements, including fixes for freezing during gameplay and better pathfinding around walls and gates, enhancing overall game quality.

Rise of the Rajas DLC launched on December 20, 2016, bringing significant new content to *Age of Empires II HD*, including four new civilizations and an all-new map type. This expansion focused on Southeast Asia and introduced various gameplay features that enhanced the overall experience.

• New Civilizations: The DLC added the Burmese, Khmer, Malay, and Vietnamese civilizations, each featuring their own fully voice-acted campaigns.
  • Each civilization comes with unique gameplay mechanics and strategies.
• Gameplay Features: A new terrain type that supports both land and water units was introduced, alongside a fresh architecture set specific to the new DLC.
• Balance Changes: A significant balance update occurred on March 16, 2017, adjusting various units and mechanics.
  • Malay Battle Elephants became 25% cheaper, while their age-up bonus decreased from 100% to 80%.
  • Changes were made to the Elite Camel and Rattan Archers, removing their bonus attacks against infantry.
• Multiplayer Improvements: A new MP Restore feature was added, allowing players to restore multiplayer sessions, enhancing the online experience.
• Network Enhancements: The game saw improved network speeds, including the removal of added network delay at game start and optimized calculations for better performance.

The African Kingdoms Expansion launched on November 2, 2015, introducing exciting new content including the Berbers civilization and new naval units like the Fire Galley and Demolition Raft. This update also brought a Unified Lobby to enhance multiplayer and single-player experiences.

• New Civilizations: The expansion added new civilizations, including the Berbers, featuring Camel Archers and a unique campaign, as well as other African civilizations that received distinct architecture and units.
  • Berbers: Introduced unique units and a specific campaign.
  • New Architecture Set: African civilizations now boast a unique architectural style.
• New Gameplay Features: The expansion included the addition of new boats, enhancing naval warfare strategies.
  • Fire Galley and Demolition Raft: Newly introduced naval units for all civilizations.

• Performance Improvements: Significant FPS enhancements were reported, especially under Windows 10, with some users experiencing over 200% frame rate improvements.

• Balance Changes: The October 15 patch implemented balance adjustments for both the original game and the African Kingdoms expansion, refining gameplay for all players.

• AI and Modding Enhancements: The AI's attack behavior improved, allowing it to target Palisade Walls effectively, while modding tools received updates for better management and functionality.

• UI/UX Improvements: The update included a Unified Lobby for multiplayer and single-player modes, making it easier to navigate and join games.

Age of Empires II: Low Definition Edition was announced on April 1, 2015, catering to players using CRT monitors with a resolution of 800x600. This period also saw the introduction of the 'Battles of the Forgotten' Campaign, available to owners of The Forgotten expansion, alongside a new realistic map of Europe and a new texture pack for enhanced visuals.

• New Campaign: The 'Battles of the Forgotten' Campaign launched on June 18, 2014, adding fresh content for expansion owners.
• New Map: A realistic map of Europe was introduced on October 6, 2014, expanding the variety of gameplay environments.
• New Texture Pack: A new texture pack was released on October 6, 2014, improving the visual fidelity of the game.
• New AI: A more difficult AI was made available to all AoE II: HD users on June 18, 2014, providing a greater challenge.
• Multiplayer Functionality: The AOE II: LD Edition was designed to support online multiplayer experiences, maintaining compatibility for players.
• Accessing LD Edition: Players could access the AOE II: LD Edition by selecting it from the 'betas' tab in game properties as of April 1, 2015.

The Forgotten Expansion launched on November 7, 2013, marking the first significant content addition to Age of Empires II HD since its release. This expansion introduced new civilizations, massive maps, and four new campaigns, rejuvenating the game's experience. Other notable highlights include the introduction of Twitch integration and a spectator mode, enhancing community engagement and gameplay observation.

• New Civilizations and Campaigns: The expansion added new civilizations and introduced four new campaigns for players to explore.
• Twitch Integration and Spectator Mode: These features were introduced to enhance streaming capabilities and allow players to watch matches live.
• New Free Campaign: The campaign titled "El Dorado" became available for players who owned The Forgotten expansion on March 4, 2014.
• Steam Trading Cards: The game introduced eight new trading cards featuring Age of Empires-themed art, allowing players to collect and craft badges.
• Ease of Switching: Players experienced a simplified process to switch between the base game and the expansion with a single click from the main menu.