At long last, Age of Empires 4 is on the way, soon to be in the hands of eager real-time strategy (RTS) fans everywhere. This game was developed by World's Edge and Relic Entertainment as a modern take on everything players loved about past games, especially Age of Empires 2. Depending on how the launch goes, it could even end up being one of the best PC games available.
Our interview with the developers of Age of Empires 4 revealed that the team is focused on history, wanting to make sure players understand the weight behind every faction, with plenty of in-game resources to aid in learning about who these famous heroes and tyrants were.
Age of Empires 4: Release date
Age of Empires 4 is scheduled to launch on Oct. 28, 2021. The game is coming exclusively to PC right now, though players can choose to go through Steam or Xbox Game Pass for PC in order to play it.
Age of Empires 4: Launch times
Age of Empires 4, like many games, has a single launch time around the world, as confirmed by the official Age of Empires Twitter account. Naturally, this means the exact time the game is available will depend on your region. We've rounded up what this looks like in major timezones across the world.
| Region/time zone | Time |
|---|---|
| Seattle (PT) | 8:00 a.m, Oct. 28 |
| Mexico City (CDT) | 10:00 a.m, Oct. 28 |
| New York (ET) | 11:00 a.m, Oct. 28 |
| São Paulo (BRT) | 12:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| London (BST) | 4:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| Berlin (CEST) | 5:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| Moscow (MSK) | 6:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| Mumbai (IST) | 8:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| Beijing (CST) | 11:00 p.m, Oct. 28 |
| Tokyo (JST) | 12:00 a.m, Oct. 29 |
| Sydney (AEDT) | 2:00 a.m, Oct. 29 |
| Auckland (NZDT) | 4:00 a.m, Oct. 29 |
Age of Empires 4: Preload and download size
Age of Empires 4 requires 50 GB of free space on your computer, in line with the size of many modern games. Naturally, this will probably grow over time as the game evolves and more updates, DLC, and expansions are added in the coming months and years.
Initially, Age of Empires 4 did not appear to support preloading, which was especially unfortunate if you have a slower internet connection. Fortunately, this has changed ahead of launch. Age of Empires 4 now supports preloading in all regions, so you can go ahead and start downloading the game so you're ready the moment everything unlocks.
Before you buy the game, you'll naturally want to check the Age of Empires 4 PC requirements to make sure your system can handle it. With that said, Age of Empires 4 was developed to scale on a wide range of hardware, meaning most players probably don't have anything to worry about.
A new era of warfare
Age of Empires 4 is a continuation of the legendary RTS series with a focus on historical accuracy, asymmetrical warfare, and deep strategy. Learn about history, then lead your faction to victory.
Expand your PC gaming library
Xbox Game Pass for PC is tailored specifically for PC users, giving a unique lineup of Game Pass games that has lot of crossover with the console list but with more PC-only games.
