Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is a remaster of Age of Empires III and its expansions. It features graphical upgrades, UI improvements, quality of life, gameplay changes, new game modes and two new civilizations[3]. Announced at Gamescom 2017, the first closed beta began on February 11, 2020[4], and it was released on October 15, 2020.
On April 10, 2021, a new playable United States civilization was announced. Released on April 13, it could be earned for free by completing fifty in-game challenges. It can now only be purchased.[5]
On July 20, 2021, a new expansion was announced, The African Royals. With a setting based on Africa, featuring Ethiopians and Hausa, three new Historical Battles, 15 new African maps, and five new African native settlements and new achievements, it was released on August 2, 2021.[6]
On September 14, 2021, the Mexican civilization was announced, also featuring also three new Historical Battles and new achievements, and released on December 1, 2021.[7]
On March 15, 2022, new civilizations were announced to be coming. On May 12, 2022, the new expansion Knights of the Mediterranean was announced. Featuring Italians and Maltese, 30 new random maps, 9 new minor civilizations (Royal Houses), 8 historical maps, two new game modes (Diplomacy and Tycoon) and 25 new achievements, it was released on May 26, 2022.
08 November 2021
16 April 2013
23 October 2007
Demo version[]
Starting August 2, 2023, a demo version of Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is available on Steam[8], with the following features:
- Tutorial
- Algiers
- Act I: Blood campaign
- Art of War
- Rotating civilization pool - three civilizations, each being present individually for three, with one of them changing every week (original 16 civilizations only)
- Single player and unranked multiplayer - can host only on the available maps, but can join any lobby with any map hosted
- Participation in monthly events
- Co-Op
- Compendium and technology trees of all civilizations
- Eight maps - Central Asia, Deccan, Great Plains, Guianas, Northwest Territory, Malaysia, Mongolia, Saguenay
This will have no direct effect on the players who already own the game. Quoting the blog, this will be the chance to invite friends and new players to try it out!
New features and changes[]
- See the initial baseline changelog from here.[9]
- Ability to rotate building placements (Shift + mouse scroll) outside the Scenario Editor
- Auto Scout feature added for Explorer units
- Enhanced AI
- Enhanced graphics and particle effects[10]
- Expansions to the Politician system and Revolution mechanic, with more variants for each original civilization including non-American states.
- Fully remastered soundtrack
- A new music tune for each civilization[13]
- Home City Card changes:
- All cards unlocked in multiplayer and singleplayer (apart from campaign Home Cities)
- All decks at 25 card limit, with pre-built decks available for new players.
- Leveling only affects Home City customization.
- Addition of new cards such as Grenade Launchers.
- Updated mechanics and abilities to pre-existing cards such as Sawmills granting a 10% yield bonus to villagers gathering from trees.
- Multiples of the same civilization allowed for both Skirmish and multiplayer matches
- Name changes:
- Campaign renamed Story Mode
- Discovery Age and Colonial Age renamed Exploration Age and Commerce Age respectively
- Light infantry (fast infantry with quasi-cavalry role) in The WarChiefs is renamed to Shock Infantry
- Plantation renamed to Estate
- Colonial Militia renamed to Revolutionary
- Dog Soldier renamed to Tokala Soldier
- Macehualtin renamed to Otontin Slinger
- Ikko-Ikki renamed to Sohei Archer
- Sohei renamed to Sohei Naginata
- New customizable user interface
- Default, Definitive, and Classic options
- Grid-based hotkeys
- Right-click mouse scroll
- New game modes
- Historical Battles
- The Art of War Challenge scenarios
- Official mod support via a download hub located on the Age of Empires website
- Overhauled online multiplayer with cross-network play
- Dedicated servers
- ELO rating and matchmaking systems
- Ranked ladders and integrated leaderboards
- 22 new maps[14]
- Range indicators for buildings with attack
- Redesigned flags for most existing civilizations[14]
- Redesigned Iroquois and Sioux[15][16]
- Renamed to Haudenosaunee and Lakota respectively
- Coin mining disabled and replaced with fur trading (via Tribal Marketplace building)
- Fire Pit reworked into the Community Plaza
- Nature Friendship replaced with an ability to convert human Treasure Guardians only
- Spectator mode
- Story changes to the The WarChiefs campaign of Act II: Shadow
- Crazy Horse replaced by Chayton Black's Lakota uncle, "Frank" Warbonnet.
- Team limit increased from two to four[14]
- Two new playable civilizations:
- Inca: A defensive Native American civilization with strong walls and unique fortifications
- Swedes: An aggressive European civilization with focus on artillery and mercenaries
- Unit formations added for military ships
Gallery[]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ https://store.steampowered.com/app/933110/Age_of_Empires_III_Definitive_Edition
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCcRNUlE7ek
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/age3de-preorder-now-gc2020/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/AgeOfEmpires/status/1227311020538056704
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/aoe3de-introducing-the-us-civ/
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/preorder-aoe3de-african-royals/
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/aoeiii_de_mexican_civ_reveal
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-trial-comes-to-aoeiii-de/
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/aoe3de-baseline-update/
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/interview-joss-ellis/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/AgeOfEmpires/status/1299134005162303490
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe3/comments/ii9xdc/gamesstar_interview_summary_by_andri_on_resetera/
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/interview-todd-masten/
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9ahD-rg9bY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbiUgJG6BYU
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/interview-anthony-brave/
