Even though developer Relic Entertainment suffered layoffs of 121 of its employees a few weeks ago, the team is still working on new content for Age of Empires IV, the latest RTS game in Microsoft's long-running series. This week, the game entered Season 5 with a major new update that adds a lot of new features and content to the game.
The game's official website has the info on the update, with an extensive changelog. Perhaps the coolest new edition is the special Summer Party Event. From now until July 20, players who spot certain creatures in specific places will get special rewards:
Search for the elusive Wild Man on Black Forest and Marshland maps or spy the mysterious Dragon Turtle in the seas of Archipelago and Boulder Bay! You might even spot them in a Ranked game! The first Villager to approach the Wild Man, or Fishing Boat to near the Dragon Turtle, will receive a special boon: a permanent and significant increase to its gather rate!
The Season 5 update also adds a new game mode: Empire Wars, that promises to get players right into the action:
Players start their game with a burgeoning empire, ready to dive into combat or advance to the next Age! Available in custom and skirmish games, the player starts with a variety of buildings alongside a distribution of working villagers which creates a foothold on the map for players to expand from. Villagers will already be busy working farms, chopping trees, and mining gold and stone.
The update has also added the team voice chat option so that online teams can finally chat and form strategies with each other. There are also three new maps (Golden Heights, Migration, and Volcanic Island) and ranked play for more rewards.
The game has also received some visual improvements, including a new terrain rendering system, support for ambient occlusion for better lighting, and more. You can also expect a number of bug fixes with this release.
During the summer, Age of Empires IV players can get extra rewards if they sign in on July 1 (Canada Day), July 4 (US Independence Day), and July 14 (Bastille Day), and there will also be another summer event in late July with even more rewards to unlock.
You can get Age of Empires IV via PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from Microsoft. You can also own the game via Steam for $23.99 or 40 percent off its normal price.
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