Age of Empires III confirmed

Microsoft Game Studios today confirmed what it had been hinting at: the upcoming appearance of Age of Empires III. The title is the newest chapter in the line of real-time strategy titles from Texas-based developer Ensemble Studios (the same shop behind the Age of Mythology franchise).

Age of Empires III is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2005.

Gamers will once again take control of a European superpower as it attempts to colonize and conquer undiscovered worlds with new graphics and battle physics.

Age of Empires III is set in the time period directly following Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, ushering gamers into the dawn of the Industrial Age. New units will include rifled infantry, cavalry, and ocean-faring galleons.