Happy belated New Year, Age IV community! We shared some exciting news last week (read here if you haven’t already). And now we’re back with more of what you’re looking for: balance updates, bug fixes, plus a brand new seasonal event and game mode.
Thanks again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!
—The Age of Empires Team
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in the Microsoft Store:
- Open the Microsoft Store.
- Click the [∙ ∙ ∙ ] symbol next to your profile picture.
- Select Downloads and updates.
- Press the Get updates button to automatically detect, download, and install the latest changes to your game!
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 12.2.3327.
If you are unable to launch the game after downloading the update, make sure you add (or re-add) the Age of Empires IV client or folder as an exception to your firewall and antivirus program. That’s it; you’re ready to play!
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in Steam:
- Open Steam.
- Click on Library to see your games list.
- Click Downloads at the bottom of the Library window.
- [If the new build does not download automatically,] click the Download Now button to manually download the new update.
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 12.2.3327.
That’s it; you’re ready to play!
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in the Xbox App for Windows.
- Open the Xbox app.
- Games that are installed show up on the left side of the app.
- Hover over the game or click it, and then select Update.
- [If the new build does not download automatically,] hover over the game, select More Options (…), choose Manage. Under the Files tab, choose the option to Check for Updates.
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 12.2.3327.
That’s it; you’re ready to play!
For more installation help on the Xbox, please visit Xbox Support!
Still having trouble? Visit our support site!
Please Note: As part of updating to this latest build, any saved games and observable matches made on previous builds will be unable to be loaded or replayed.
Season Nine
New Seasonal Event: Chart a Course
Kicking off the start of the year with another brand-new game mode, Chart a Course. Players who select this mode will periodically receive a choice from three powerful upgrades. Look to the stars and chart your course as you adapt your civilization to the ever changing and challenging world around you!
Login between February 13th at 10:00am PT (1:00pm ET / 18:00 UTC) and March 31st to share in the season’s festivities!
| Challenge | How to Unlock Reward |
| Welcome to Chart a Course 2025 | 🔒 Login during Chart a Course 2025 🏆 Profile Icon – Herd Burden |
| Weaving the Silk Road | 🔒 Perform 200 trades with Traders in Skirmish or Multiplayer 🏆 Profile Icon – Caravan Holiday |
| A Natural Hunter | 🔒 Slay 24 Deer in Skirmish or Multiplayer 🏆 Profile Icon – Orion |
| Meteor Shower | 🔒 Destroy 70 structures with siege equipment in Skirmish or Multiplayer matches 🏆 Profile Icon – Draco |
| From dusk till dawn | 🔒 Play 7 matches in Skirmish or Multiplayer 🧱 Coat of Arms Sigil – The Sun and Moon |
| Great Works | 🔒 Advance to the third age 7 times in skirmish or multiplayer matches 🧱 Coat of Arms Sigil – Pyramid |
| A sight to behold | 🔒 Capture 10 sacred sites in skirmish or multiplayer matches 🧱 Coat of Arms Sigil – Astronomy of the Planets |
| A sign from the stars I | 🔒 Choose a blessing during a match of Chart a Course in skirmish or multiplayer matches 🧱 Coat of Arms Sigil Frame – Saturn |
| Looking for a sign | 🔒 Play a single match of Chart a Course in skirmish or multiplayer 🧱 Coat of Arms Sigil Frame – The North Star |
| A sign from the stars II | 🔒 Gain 5 blessings in Chart a Course matches in skirmish or multiplayer matches 🧱 Coat of Arms Banner Pattern – Sun Rays |
| A sign from the stars III | 🔒 Gain 9 blessings in Chart a Course matches in skirmish or multiplayer matches 🧱 Coat of Arms Banner Shape – Steps of Progression |
| Hunt the Hunter | 🔒 Slay 7 Wolves in Skirmish or Multiplayer 🧱 Monument – Lion above the rest |
Known Issue: We’re still adjusting to the New Year! One of the Chart a Course event challenges references “2024” instead of “2025.” Rest assured, logging in this year will earn you the reward.
Map Pool Rotation
You’ve been climbing the ladder all Season Nine, and now it’s time to test your mettle on a fresh set of maps!
1v1 Ranked Map Pool
- Hill and Dale –> Cliffside
- Marshland –> Prairie
- Four Lakes –> Lake Side
- Wetlands –> Golden Heights
- Haywire –> King of the Hill
- Nagari –> Archipelago
Team Ranked Map Pool
- King of the Hill –> Cliffside
- Rocky River –> Lipany
- Socotra –> Mountain Clearing
- Waterholes –> Lake Side
- Himeyama –> Prairie
- Mongolian Heights –> Nagari
UX/UI & Menus (All Platforms)
- Downvoted FFA maps list is now displayed in the Quick match search screen.
General Changes & Bugfixes
- Corrected an issue that allowed cavalry units to attack while moving if a movement command was issued immediately after an attack command.
- Fixed an issue where the description for Serpentine Powder did not properly reflect changes made to bonus against melee units.
Balance & Gameplay Changes (All Civilizations)
- Scout cost reduced from 70 → 65 food.
- Scout train time reduced from 25 → 23 seconds.
- Malian Scout train time reduced from 15 → 14 seconds.
- Professional Scouts movement speed penalty increased from 35 → 40%.
- Professional Scouts cost increased from 75 wood 275 gold → 100 wood 275 gold.
Developer’s Note: The team is aware of the current state of professional scouts in the meta, we will continue to monitor the situation and potentially address it in the next update.
- Bombard damage increased from 50 → 55.
- Cannon damage increased from 55 → 60.
- Culverin damage increased from 35 → 40.
- Springald projectile now has a significantly larger hitbox.
- Adjustable Crossbar projectile blast radius and projectile scatter reduced from +100% → +75%.
- Spearmen now gain an additional +3/4/5/6 bonus damage versus elephants with Base/Hardened/Veteran/Elite tiers.
- Crossbow damage decreased from 12 → 11.
- Crossbow bonus damage increased from 9 → 10.
- Elite Crossbow damage decreased from 15 → 14.
- Elite Crossbow bonus damage increased from 11 → 12.
- Elite Army Tactics:
- Effect adjusted from 20% → 15% damage (still affects bonus damage).
- Cost increased from 400 food 800 gold → 500 food 1000 gold.
- Effect changed from +4 melee armor → +15% health.
- Mongols Improved Elite Army Tactics grants +20% damage and health, costing 1500 stone.
- Fixed an issue where Mercenary Tower Elephants would not benefit from Incendiary Arrows.
- Cataphracts now use Byzantine shields.
- No longer gain three free scholars with first Madrasa.
- Dome of Faith discount reduced; scholars now train for 75 gold.
- Incendiary arrows, Biology, Elite Army Tactics research time from 22 minutes → 23.
- Silk Bowstrings research time from 12 minutes → 18.
- Fixed an issue where Network of Citadels had an outdated description.
- Fixed an issue where Wynguard Rangers could see over stealth forests.
- New Bonus: Barracks cost -50% wood.
- Fishing Village changed from 40% → 25% wood discount on fishing ships.
- Samurai train speed reduced from 23 → 20 seconds.
- Tatara cost reduced to 25 stone 50 gold → 15 stone 35 gold and research time reduced from 30 → 15 seconds.
- Hizukuri cost reduced from 75 stone 100 gold → 50 stone 100 gold and research time reduced from 60 → 45 seconds.
- Daimyo Manor cost reduced 225 → 175 stone.
- Yorishiro Adjustments:
- Dock and Military Building Production speed reduced from 150% → 125%.
- Farmhouse/Lumbercamp/Forge RPM reduced from 75f/w → 70 f/w, 60g → 50g.
- House health increased from 500 → 550.
- Pit Mine health increased from 1500 → 1600.
- Town Center cost reduced from 400 wood 450 gold → 400 wood 400 gold.
- Feudal Sofa Warrior, Veteran/Elite unchanged.
- Health increased from 155 → 160.
- Attack increased from 16 → 17.
- Scout renamed to Vanguard Scout.
- Musofadi Warrior:
- Health increased from 90 → 95.
- Veteran Health increased from 110 → 115.
- Elite Health increased from 135 → 140.
- Pit Mine generation 35 → 36 gold per minute.
- Fixed an issue with incorrect cap on Pit Mines for maps with extremely close gold mines creating overlapping influences.
- Fixed an issue where small Pit Mines would generate 1% less gold than intended with full saturation.
- Fixed an issue where Mansa Javelineers could be unlocked from the Archery Range without building the Farimba Garrison.
- Fixed an issue where Khan’s Hunter double production was using the Mangudai icon.
- Fixed an issue where the White Stupa wasn’t selected by the Select All Technology Buildings hotkey.
- Fixed an issue where researching the improved version Superior Mobility first would not grant the faster unpacking effect.
- Cavalry Archer renamed to Akinji.
- Akinji cost reduced from 100 food 80 wood → 90 food 80 wood.
- Akinji production time reduced from 27 seconds → 25 seconds.
- Cavalry Archer Vizier Point renamed to Akinji System.
- Military and Technology Building discount 33% → 40%.
Variant Civilization Changes
The following changes apply only to the Variant versions of the Classic civilizations. Variant civilizations share in many of the changes made to their parent civilization listed above.
- Fixed an issue where the last Atabeg could not be retrained and was permanently lost.
- Atabegs no longer incorrectly use Malian Camel Trader skins.
- Fixed an issue where Desert Raiders would benefit from Silk Bowstrings on their melee weapons.
- Gilded Spearmen now gain +6/8/10/12 additional bonus damage versus Elephants with Base/Hardened/Veteran/Elite tiers.
- Fixed an issue where the Inspire ability range for the Order of the Dragon Aachen Chapel was shorter than its visual range.
Investigation
Community-Reported Issues:
Your reports continue being crucial to our prioritization and implementation of fixes and features in the game. Keep them coming!
For other known issues, please visit this page to see what’s being tracked!
Coming Up…
For now, we’ll point you back to our most recent update on plans for Age of Empires IV in 2025. But we’ve got some more exciting news just around the corner!
DISCLAIMER
Please note that this list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.
For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.