It’s been an outstanding year for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, with heaps of free new content, grand tournament spectacles and now, the full release of co-operative campaigns!
You can catch all the details in the video below, or read our quick summary below.
Co-operative Campaigns & Scenarios
Fully Co-operative Historical Battles are now officially released for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! These new co-operative scenarios contain the same story-driven historical narratives and objectives you know and love, with an updated AI you and a friend will need to coordinate to conquer.
Co-op scenarios and campaigns are available to anyone who owns the base edition of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, so grab a buddy and relive the classic campaign experience.
| Attila the Hun | Suryavarman I | Tamerlane | Tariq ibn Ziyad | Alaric | Saladin |
| The Scourge of God | Usurpation | Amir of Transoxiana | The Battle of Guadalete | The Battle of the Frigidus | An Arabian Knight |
| The Great Ride | Quelling the Rebellion | Gurkhan of Persia | Consolidation and Subjugation | Razing Hellas | Lord of Arabia |
| The Walls of Constantinople | A Dangerous Mission | Harbinger of Destruction | Divide and Conquer | The Belly of the Beast | The Horns of Hattin |
| A Barbarian Betrothal | Challenging a Thalassocracy | Sultan of Hindustan | Crossing the Pyrenees | The Giant Falls | The Siege of Jerusalem |
| The Battle of the Catalaunian Fields | Nirvanapada | Scourge of the Levant | Razzia | A Kingdom of Our Own | Jihad! |
| The Fall of Rome | A Titan Amongst Mortals | The Lion and the Demon |
Matchmaking Options
- Matchmaking Queue to provide more ranked play options for the community.
- A new Quick Play option, to be quickly matched with other similar minded players from around the world to team up and show the AI who’s boss.
Death Match Ranked Lobbies
After a re-work, ranked Death Match has returned with fully ranked custom lobbies, set to deliver an improved player experience.
Additional Expansions
In the last year, we’ve seen the addition of two new expansions for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Lords of the West and Dawn of the Dukes.
| Expansion | New Civilizations | New Campaigns |
| Lords of the West | The Burgundians The Sicilians | Edward Longshanks The Grand Dukes of the West The Hautevilles |
| Dawn of the Dukes | The Bohemians The Poles | Algirdas and Kestutis Jadwiga Jan Zizka |
Both of these expansions are available now on Steam and the Microsoft Store for you to enjoy!
Handicap
The handicap option can buff a player up to 2x to allow a more balanced and fun experience in your custom lobby matches. This effects gameplay elements like increasing gather rates for villagers, extra bonus damage for counter units and more HP on all buildings, among other things.
UI Improvements
- A new Technology Tree preview feature: A small version of the tech tree that is now shown when hovering over the Technology Tree button while in-game.
- A new waypoint numbering system has also been added for command queues.
Balance
There have been hundreds of balance changes over the last year, all to encourage more variation between each unit and the civilizations themselves. We’re continuing to work towards ensuring every unit has a place and its relevance within Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, helping to create even more viable strategies and tactics for you to employ on the battlefield.
New Maps
Over 20 new maps have been added to the map pool, including 11 maps popularized across the Red Bull Wololo tournament series.
These maps are available in rotation for Ranked Matchmaking, or whatever bizarre settings you want in a custom game with your friends!
| Crater | Crossroads | Michi | Volcanic Island | Team Moats |
| Acclivity | Eruption | Frigid Lake | Greenland | Lowland |
| Marketplace | Meadow | Mountain Range | Northern Isles | Ring Fortress |
| Runestones | Aftermath | Enclosed | Haboob | Kawasan |
| Sacred Springs | Wade | Land Madness |
An Incredible Year!
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has had an incredible year, with over 10 major tournaments, a ton of additional free content, new expansions, multiple quality of life additions and lots more.
Thank you for making the last year of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition so special. There’s plenty more to come in 2022!