Age Of Empires 2: Definitive Edition Is Out Now And Already On Game Pass

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, developed by Forgotten Empires, is now available for PC, and not just through Windows 10, but also on Steam. Additionally, it's free for subscribers to Game Pass for PC and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, allowing members to download and play the game right at launch without paying anything extra. The news was shared by Microsoft announced during its X019 Inside Xbox livestream, where we also got our first look at Age of Empires 4 gameplay.

This Age of Empires 2 remaster includes updated 4K visuals, retooled orchestral soundtracks, and various other balance tweaks and improvements. Alongside these changes, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition comes with a brand-new "The Last Khans" content, which adds three additional campaigns and four more civilizations. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition also features cross-play between Windows 10 and Steam.

Microsoft unveiled the remaster of Age of Empires 2 during a livestream in 2017, alongside the announcement of an Age of Empires 3 remaster. The company provided more information on Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, as well as a gameplay trailer, during E3 2019.

Also during E3 2019, Microsoft announced the acquisition of a few studios--such as Brutal Legend developer Double Fine--as well as the creation of a brand-new studio solely focused on Age of Empires development. This studio will not develop another Age of Empires entry but will, instead, oversee the production of other teams working on Age of Empires projects. The studio is led by former Xbox Game Studios general manager Shannon Loftis, and during X019, its name was confirmed as World's Edge.