Xbox Game Studios is preparing for the Age of Empires 25th anniversary live stream with surprises, announcements and interviews.

Publisher Xbox Game Studios and Age of Empires developer Relic Entertainment have announced that they will host an anniversary live stream that will include surprises. They will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the game series with a live stream, new announcements and interviews. The stream will air on October 25, following the 15th anniversary. Viewers will be able to join in the celebrations on Twitch, as well as on the game, Red Bull Gaming and Xbox YouTube channels.

Age of Empires, the legendary real-time strategy game, was released in October 1997 and has remained one of the most prominent games in the genre ever since.

After a long hiatus, Microsoft-owned Xbox Game Studios revived the revered franchise last year with Age of Empires 4. Its predecessor, AoE 3, was initially developed by the now-closed Ensemble Studios and released to the public in 2005. Even after a considerable hiatus, the game seemed to pick up where the franchise left off and was considered one of the best multiplayer experiences of 2021.

It was also revealed that the new Age of Empires 4: Anniversary Edition will be released via Steam and the Microsoft Store on stream day. The game will arrive with the new Anniversary Update, which includes the recently released Ottomans and Malians expansion, adding two new civilisations to the game’s original eight civilisations. Xbox Game Studios hasn’t forgotten about fans of previous titles.

The anniversary celebrations will also include in-game challenges and exclusive rewards for Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition.

As for any secret announcements or surprises, there is very little likelihood that Xbox Game Studios will announce a successor to AoE 4. Strategy games generally have a longer shelf life than other genres, and the latest title will likely last a few more years. However, we could see a proper expansion in the near future. AoE 4 currently only includes four campaigns and ten civilisations. This means that an expansion for AoE 4 could be in the works, similar to The Asian Dynasties for AoE 3.

Source: Microsoft