Microsoft has announced that Age of Empires IV, the latest version of its blockbuster strategy franchise, is coming to Xbox consoles next year.
Better still, it’ll be a day one Xbox Game Pass release for subscribers who won’t have to buy it outright. The game has been out on PC since October 28 last year and has been available for PC Game Pass subscribers for a while now.
However, those who prefer to play on console will now be able to join in with the RTS fun. Microsoft says it is responding to widespread calls from gamers to bring Xbox gamers into the fold.
The announcement was made at an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise and as an added bonus, 1999’s Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) will also arrive on Game Pass in January. The revamp arrived 20 years on from its original launch with new 4K graphics.
The challenge now will be to ensure the RTS game lives up to its PC legacy on the Xbox consoles. Keyboard and mouse controls will also be available for the controller-averse.
In a blog post, Microsoft says: “We knew that bringing the complexity of RTS to Xbox consoles was a massive task and one we had to approach carefully and thoughtfully. The team has been working hard to bring an experience that not only feels great using a controller, but also teaches players how to play on Xbox.
“A new tutorial designed specifically for controller input paired with a new user experience for console will help players get started. We’ve also added a new game AI which helps make resource management in a strategy game efficient and intuitive.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
