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Is Microsoft Developing a New Age of Empires?

By - Source: Destructoid | B 30 comments

A job listing indicates that Microsoft may want another Age of Empires game.

A job offering over on LinkedIn seems to suggest that Microsoft is looking for talent to work on a new Age of Empires title. The company hasn't officially announced the development, but the portion of the job listing stating that it's a "well-loved strategy game franchise" has the rumor wheels turning. We haven't seen an Age of Empires title on the PC since the third installment and its two expansion packs.

"Microsoft Studios is looking for a highly experienced senior games developer to help build and lead the team for a new AAA title within an established and well-loved strategy game franchise," reads the job description. "This role reports directly to the Director of Development / Head of Studio. Your primary responsibilities will be to recruit and lead the client-side engineering team, drive technical strategy for client development, manage the day-to-day engineering rhythm, and evaluate and recommend appropriate middleware and tools to accomplish our goals."

Microsoft is looking for someone with eight years of AAA game development experience, and at least 5 years in a "leadership capacity." Candidates must also have "a Bachelor's Degree or higher in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics or related field," and "experience in modern development techniques." Candidates must also have strong C++ development skills, exposure to C# and scripting language.

The very first Age of Empires was developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft in October 1997. The second installment was published in September 1999, and the third in October 2005. Microsoft acquired Ensemble Studios in 2001, for which the studio became a subsidiary until its closing in 2009. During its time, Ensemble also produced several spinoffs such as Age of Mythology.

Note that Age of Empires Online launched in August 2011, a free-to-play MMORTS first developed by Robot Entertainment and later by Gas Powered Games. However, as of January 2013, Microsoft had ceased creating new content for the struggling game, and then said in September 2013 that the game will be shut down in July 2014.

Right now news of a new Age of Empires is all rumor and speculation until Microsoft confirms development. Still, would you welcome a fourth installment?

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  • 8 Hide
    axehead15 , May 8, 2014 7:23 PM
    As long as it goes back to being like teh first and second. The third kind of sucked.
  • 2 Hide
    jase240 , May 8, 2014 7:48 PM
    I agree the first two were great( I liked AoE2), but the third was bad.
  • 2 Hide
    csbeer , May 8, 2014 8:10 PM
    The Third installment just didn't get the right sort of support. Studio, development, and update support. When Bruce Shelley himself isn't overwhelming supportive of his own game, you know it's gonna have a rocky life. Personally, I loved the game. Stick it on slow speed, go for a rush or installation victory. Good times.
  • Display all 30 comments.
  • 1 Hide
    velocityg4 , May 8, 2014 9:02 PM
    Doesn't Age of Mythology count as one? Personally I enjoyed all of them except online. I'd say two was my favorite. Age of Mythology would have been much better if it wasn't limited to three civilizations.
  • 1 Hide
    atlasica , May 8, 2014 9:21 PM
    I got the third iteration first, and I loved it. I can see why those experienced with AoE 2 may be disappointed in AoE 3 due to it having less gameplay elements (amongst probably some other things), but I believe AoE 3 was still a great game in it's own right. Now, between getting a new AoE like the third or none at all, gimme the game MS. But take your time to make it good =)
  • 3 Hide
    Pyrokinetic , May 8, 2014 11:00 PM
    AoE 2 was the best of them all, never got tired of playing it. Everything released afterward just made the game more stupid to play. Would love to see a refresh of AoE 2 with better graphics, more civilizations, and more campaigns. Leave the gameplay model alone and follow what Blizzard rightly did with Starcraft 2: just take what worked oh so well and just enhance it.
  • 3 Hide
    thundervore , May 8, 2014 11:05 PM
    I miss AoE Gold. It was the game that got me into RTS games
  • 1 Hide
    Novuake , May 9, 2014 12:39 AM
    "We haven't seen an Age of Empires title on the PC since the third installment and its two expansion packs." Not true... Age of Empires Online, it was very bad but still an Age of Empires title.

    Everyone that said the third one sucks is either a fool or did not play it competively, unlike the first 2 games this game was much more strategic with a lot more content.
    Unlike the first 2 the third game was a lot better in multiplayer but shorter in the campaign with a lack of "true-ish" history involved.

    Geez I am excited about this! Lets hope its nothing like AoE Online.


    EDIT : And anyone is welcome to dispute my statement, but I would like to know WHY you say AoE 3 was bad. Because no one can ever seem to give me a reason.

    csbeer I know right? I still play it often. Its a shame they shut down the online ESO server. Enjoyed competitive play A LOT!
  • 1 Hide
    DGriffin , May 9, 2014 1:52 AM
    Quote:
    AoE 2 was the best of them all, never got tired of playing it. Everything released afterward just made the game more stupid to play. Would love to see a refresh of AoE 2 with better graphics, more civilizations, and more campaigns. Leave the gameplay model alone and follow what Blizzard rightly did with Starcraft 2: just take what worked oh so well and just enhance it.


    Your wish has already been granted: http://store.steampowered.com/app/239550/

    It's not leaps and bounds better for graphics. But it supports more resolutions, custom content, new civilizations, an AI that doesn't suck etc...
  • -2 Hide
    Novuake , May 9, 2014 2:03 AM
    Pyrokinetic that is a horrible policy. Hell do you like paying for an essentially old game with new graphics as if it were a brand new AAA title?
    Geesh hows that for killing innovation.
  • 0 Hide
    I Hate Nvidia , May 9, 2014 3:30 AM
    Age of Mythology was amazing except for its limited allowed number of units. And yes AoE 2 was great, the story side of AoE 3 was much better and more interesting, and graphics wise AoE 3 remained a gpu testing meter for avery long time for its amazingly implementation of DX effects of its time, n still acceptable by today standards.
  • 1 Hide
    FastGunna , May 9, 2014 4:52 AM
    I had a ton of fun in the AoE Online Beta, but that was long before they actually monitized it and most of the game was accessible through progression. After monitizing it however it wasn't worth the hard drive space, let alone the premium content. I would like to see a new title as long as they learn from that mistake and just sell the full game.
  • 0 Hide
    11796pcs , May 9, 2014 6:30 AM
    I still play Age of Mythology with friends at LAN parties a decade later. AoE III was better than people gave it credit for. Interested to hear what Microsoft comes up with but I know not to get my hopes up.
  • 0 Hide
    lpedraja2002 , May 9, 2014 6:58 AM
    I think I still have all my original CDs. I used yo do lan parties with my friends and my brother in where we would put it on the max difficulty and at the max player limit and we would play on jottenheim I think it was in where there is a circle on an area of the map surrounded by rock with only one entrance. That was a tough match to win and it would take hours but it was fun as hell.
  • 0 Hide
    Calculatron , May 9, 2014 7:30 AM
    Every game was good in its own way. Age III was great for LAN parties, because of its speed and scale; I think they managed to do a great job in terms of balancing, as well as making the game easy to play, but tough to master. (Although, the first expansion allowed for stupid-fast rushes with the Aztecs and Iroquois.)

    Although I still enjoy Age of Empires II, with its expansion, my heart will always be with Age of Mythology. That was my first game I truly played competitively, and I felt they did an excellent job with the gameplay dynamics, and having the different civilizations actually be different.

    Age of Empires Online was fun, for a bit. It had a similar type of pace and gameplay to Age of Mythology, but it felt pretty bland. They really botched the delivery, too. I did not mind that they released the game with only two civilizations, for starters, but not having a skirmish mode out of the gate was nigh-unforgivable. Their strategy for creating time-sinks was really poor, and the weapons/equipment feature was really kind of silly. In short, they had the basics down well-enough, but dropped the ball for sustainability and longevity. Why would I play a silly play-to-win AOE game that still lacked civilizations and features, when I can go play AOEII and enjoy everything?
  • 0 Hide
    soccerplayer88 , May 9, 2014 8:01 AM
    Age of Mythology (also Titans) as well as the first two AoE games were awesome. The third was OK. Nothing terribly special.

    I personally would like to see another AoM, but I still remember the days of LAN'ing my engineering floor in college playing Age of Empires 2. GO GOTHS!
  • 1 Hide
    Beebstar , May 9, 2014 8:38 AM
    Niiiiice! Me and my sons still play 2 (FE) and 3 (AD) over our in-house network! As a parent, I appreciated the historical content in version 2. The game encouraged my older son's love of history (and warfare).

    When I was a houseparent at a group home, I played version 2 with my junior high-aged boys. Many of them never imagined that they could have so much fun playing a strategy game as opposed to a FPS.

    Best Microsoft decision since updating Windows 8!

    Joe
  • 0 Hide
    thechief73 , May 9, 2014 8:43 AM
    This is great if accurate. Like most, AoE 1 & 2 were my favs. AoE 3 brought unnecessary clutter to the game IMO, K.I.S.S. I still remember playing 4hr matches online and then to get a phone call and be disconnected. Eyefinity / Surround support please. I really enjoyed Rise of nations also, be nice to see that have a reboot as well.
  • 0 Hide
    spartanmk2 , May 9, 2014 8:44 AM
    I've played them all, 1 & 2 are obviously the best. The 3rd had great graphics, but me being a history fanatic and loving the Classical/Golden eras of the ancient world and medieval times made me biased towards the first two installments. Did anyone really learn something of historical value from the AoE III? How many of us googled/dogpile'd/yahoo'd trebuchet after seeing that in AoE II? Lol :) 
  • 1 Hide
    spartanmk2 , May 9, 2014 8:48 AM
    Monk, I need a monk!
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