"Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition" is the latest and perhaps the last remaster of the classic real-time strategy franchise by Microsoft before "Age of Empires 4" is released Age of Empires Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition, like Age of Empires: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, features 4K visuals, an enhanced soundtrack, playable new races, and revamped gameplay to update the popular game

At Gamescom 2020, the first trailer for Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition was shown during the first day's live stream Fans already knew that the game would be released, but it was revealed when it would be released and what new features it would add

It has been a long time since Age of Empires 3 debuted in 2005 If you don't quite remember what was so special about the game (or have never played it), read on to find out why Age of Empires 3 is worth playing again and how Microsoft intends to bring this historical relic back to the modern age to find out

There is no mystery to Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition's release date The game will be available on Steam, the Windows Store, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on October 15; the Steam and Windows Store versions cost $20 each, while the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is $15 per month

Note that if you own Age of Empires 3: Complete Collection on Steam, you can purchase the upcoming Definitive Edition for $15 Similarly, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers who wish to own the game outright can purchase Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition for $15 in the Windows Store

Finally, those who wish to purchase all three Age of Empires titles can purchase Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition: Definitive Edition for $45 at either store If you want to purchase all three games separately, you can purchase all three games for $45 at either store If purchased separately, it would cost $60 to purchase all three games

Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition's system requirements are modest if you want to play on relatively low settings, and somewhat more demanding if you want the ultimate UHD experience Please note that this game only runs on Windows 10 Please see below for minimum and recommended specs:

As noted above, Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition will be available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $15 per month The game will also be offered through the $5/month Xbox Game Pass for PC (beta)

Since Xbox Game Pass for PC is still in beta, there is no guarantee that this service will last forever However, even if Xbox Game Pass for PC is integrated into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the future, Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition should still be available in the Ultimate package

For those who have never played the Age of Empires series, this is a historical RTS series in which you take control of one of the world's great civilizations Age of Empires" covers the Stone Age to the fall of Rome, "Age of Empires 2" covers the Dark Ages to the Renaissance, and "Age of Empires 3" covers the Age of Discovery to the late 19th century As such, Age of Empires 3 introduces a large number of interesting options that were not available in the earlier games, such as riflemen, cannons, and cash crops

There are three main game modes: random maps, campaign, and multiplayer The gameplay is almost identical in all three You start with a small base and a few villagers (or a larger force in certain campaign missions and game modes), then build your base, gather resources, and raise an army while exploring the map and researching new technologies A twist in Age of Empires 3 is that you can receive packages from your "home city," which will supply your outpost with resources, soldiers, and unique technology as you progress through the matches

Another feature that sets Age of Empires 3 apart from previous AoE games is the availability of completely different units, buildings, and technology for each civilization (In previous games, the choice of units and technology differed from one race to another, but all came from a common pool) Thus, the Dutch can construct buildings that fix their economic advantage, and the Russians can deploy large numbers of soldiers The Sioux could repurpose their cavalry as improvised siege weapons, and the Indians could collect sacred cows for resource bonuses

Like previous Age of Empires games, Age of Empire 3 features a narrative campaign based on actual historical battles; it is a bit more fantastical and story-driven than AoE 1 and 2, but covers events such as the Spanish conquest of Florida, the American Revolution, the Sepoy Revolt and other events

Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition includes the base game of Age of Empires 3, plus all of The Warchiefs and The Asian Dynasties expansion content This means access to 14 playable civilizations, 8 campaigns, and 28 maps

However, as with previous remasters, Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition will also include new content, including two new single-player modes and two new civilizations

The two new modes will be familiar to Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition players Historical Battle, as the name suggests, is a stand-alone mission that allows players to play through some of the military turning points of the modern era The Art of War challenges, on the other hand, help new players learn strategies to play more efficiently in both single-player and multiplayer modes These are not tutorials, but are more about tactics and strategy than simply giving instructions

The two new civilizations are the Swedes and the Incas We don't know much about either civilization yet, except that each has unique buildings and units

Another interesting note is that Microsoft plans to make "fundamental changes" to two Native American civilizations, the Iroquois and the Sioux During the development of Age III: DE, we realized that with respect to Native American culture, we were not preserving its values as much as we could So we set out to correct that by working directly with our tribal consultants to respect and accurately capture the uniqueness of their people, history, and culture

Whether this means a change in gameplay, a change in aesthetics, or both is anyone's guess, but more historical accuracy is never a bad thing

"Tom's Guide" will have a more detailed report on Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition after we play it for ourselves