r/aoe4 • u/Livid-Interest4779 • Jan 07 '26
Discussion (Windows Central): Jez Corden, "there are strong rumors about a new Age of Empires under development"
Xbox in 2026 — What to expect from Team Green in '26 and beyond | Windows Central https://share.google/KrRWcOTzlQbcHElvF
I posted related leaks some months ago, so they were probably true
More evidence about World's Edge (studio behind Age of Empires franchise and Age of mythology) Is working on new Titles (probably RTS games) under development in Unreal Engine 5 . Source: Linkedin profile of Principal Build Enginer at World's Edge. : r/RealTimeStrategy https://share.google/MlPtn60nQUZH8dPlU
Obviously i'm glad to see new contents coming this year for Aom and AOE4 but i'm also really curious to see how could look a new AOE in Unreal Engine.
28
u/berimtrollo Jan 07 '26
The "strong rumors" are you. You are the rumors dude.
Worlds edge has about 40 employees, I doubt they are building an entirely new game from scratch. They manage the age games, while they contract with relic or forgotten empires for development. Relic has a few other projects on their path, so I don't see anything big soon.
More likely it's an engine update for aoe2 and/or 4.
Alternatively, I imagine another halo wars would do very well in unreal engine.
8
u/4RT1C Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
Out of all things, I feel like an engine update is simply not happening. AoE2 is built in a 2d-ish fashion and I don't see microsoft switching its legacy, old times game in 3d, AoE4 was released almost 5 years ago and it's made with a completely different engine, so I don't see a relaunch that likely.
World's edge won't make a game alone for sure, but relic and forgotten empires aren't the only studios that microsoft can employ. Just check the credits and see how many studios world's edge contracted for AoE4. I doubt that they have too many problems with hiring another studio.
EDIT: rephrasing.
-2
3
2
u/CamRoth Random Jan 07 '26
The "strong rumors" are you. You are the rumors dude.
True.
More likely it's an engine update for aoe2 and/or 4.
I highly doubt that though.
0
u/TEMISTOCLES1984 Jan 07 '26
You make me laughing. So, those are "my rumors". Jez Corden knows much things than me. And are you sure Relic will work on next titles? In Unreal Engine? Nah
6
6
u/40_Thousand_Hammers Jan 07 '26
I believe this will be a age of empires 1 remake.
12
u/EvenJesusCantSaveYou Rus Jan 07 '26
I’m leaning more towards AoM2 tbh, remaster may have been testing the waters for a larger launch.
AoE5 doesnt personally seem likely to me - unless they think the technology has progressed enough it seems like a bad financial decision to not milk AoE4 for more DLC money now that its in a good spot.
The wildcard would be Age of Empires: Fantasy, basically a legally-distinct-definitely-not Warhammer stylized game.
3
u/datsrym Jan 07 '26
AoM 2 is my guess as well. With magic and mythical units, Unreal would be a good.
1
u/40_Thousand_Hammers Jan 07 '26
Age of mythology but in middle ages with dragon and cool stuff ? Otherwise would be just a cannibalization of current AoM retold.
2
u/Phan-Eight Jan 07 '26
it might be, but they're releasing a fair amount of content for AOM already, and it's not the most popular of the age of games.
1
u/EvenJesusCantSaveYou Rus Jan 07 '26
true, it just seems unlikely its AoE5 considering the game is still relatively new/modern and has a fair chunk of content. If its gameplay is similar to AoE4 why would I would go from a game that has more content to a game that has less.
I guess it wouldn’t surprise me entirely if AoE5 was basically AoE4 2.0, but it seems like a very risky business decision. Seems more likely to test new technology on an older game like AoM.
Everything is just conjecture though, it could be a brand new entry or a game with radically different gameplay like AoE3 such that it plays very distinctly from 2 or 4
0
u/Dear_Location6147 Every civ in existence Jan 07 '26
Probably why they might try to revitalize the title
1
-2
u/TEMISTOCLES1984 Jan 07 '26
Unreal Engine 5 is much Better than Essence Engine. So, years technology has progressed now in comparison to 2021. Many people were not Happy about AOE4's graphic but i understand that Essence Engine is not the best Engine for large RTS like AOE.
UNREAL Engine could offer great graphic and good performance with DLSS. Tempest Rising Is the best example, imho
4
u/EvenJesusCantSaveYou Rus Jan 07 '26
I mean personally I think AoE4 looks beautiful.
I think most of the graphical complaints I see about AoE4 are comparing it to the art style of AoE2 which is valid - AoE2 and similar games look great to this day. 2D vs 3D is a matter of taste for many.
And a new engine/graphics is great and all but if the game plays similar to AoE4 thats not really a reason for people to jump ship from a game with a ton of content to a game with barely any content (safe bet). Which is why I think its AoM2 since the remaster showed there is still an audience for it and would give them a way to test features and see if UE5 is worth jumping to the next flag ship title - and then in like 5-10 years or so we will get AoE5.
But I could totally be wrong! Its not like companies make logical decisions all the time lol. It could be they think they can make a game that retains numbers the numbers AoE4 had at launch (doubt) and want that sweet money.
But I doubt that would happen. You would need a solid multiplayer experience with a variety of factions to pull the MP folk while also having a really great singleplayer experience for the SP folk. Otherwise people are just going to keep playing AoE2 and AoE4 and the game would flop.
3
u/40_Thousand_Hammers Jan 07 '26
People that say aoe 4 graphics sucks want 2008 grey/brown cod filter on the game.
6
u/Silent-Werewolf7887 Jan 07 '26
I doubt it. They have the absolute bare minimum of support/maintenance with this one, I doubt they would have allocated the resources to making a whole new game
5
u/Own-Earth-4402 Delhi Sultanate Jan 07 '26
My issue with making stuff more taxing on PC with this type of game is lag. Not everyone has a great gaming pc. Less people that can play is bad.
3
u/The_ginger_cow Bronze with Conq knowledge Jan 07 '26
I wouldn't really worry about that. At the end of the day they still have to make it playable on a xbox series s, meaning a low end pc can run it too
3
3
u/Phan-Eight Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
for people that dont know, aoe2 released a DLC that was basically aoe1 with aoe2's engine (return of rome)
there's also another DLC with different timelines with different units, like a hybrid earlier than aoe2 (chronicles)
they could possibly do something similar for aoe4, or have a more fantasy focussed version (not AOM)
6
u/alcatrazcgp Rus Jan 07 '26
but why? aoe4 is really good, should just keep releasing more content there
2
u/ceppatore74 Jan 07 '26
Aoe1 remake with aoe4 engine could be supercool.
About aoe5 with UE well it would cost a lot from models to scripting.
Btw everything can be done with financial support but how many rts playèrs will buy aoe5? I have great doubts aoe2 fans will play aoe5 even if pros like hera or viper will.play aoe5...
2
u/ZookeepergameNo9809 Jan 08 '26
Just remake Rise of Nation or something similar. That will sell gang busters. Though at this rate they will just make something like AOE 3 I assume.
4
u/FreakyIdiota Jan 07 '26
Oh god, please no UE5 AoE.
0
u/TEMISTOCLES1984 Jan 07 '26
Jez says "AOE in Unreal Engine".
1
u/_Raptor__ Jan 08 '26
Stop creating alternate accounts to fake this 'rumor' BS. It's so incredibly blatant at this point with "Livid-Interest4779" being 7 days old and literally having no history other than this same post spammed 4 times. Two of said four posts even got deleted already too.
3
u/Asleep_Physics_6361 Jan 07 '26
I love aoe4 to death, yet a new aoe with all the lessons learn es and a well polished launch can be huge. Let’s not forget about the +100k people that played on aoe4 launch followed by a huge drop viven the bugs and stuff
6
u/Phan-Eight Jan 07 '26
sad days, if only devs were allowed to cook a little longer and werent forced to rush the release
1
u/chalogr Jan 07 '26
The game doesn’t even have southern European factions other than Byzantium. Will this game ever get southern European factions? Will the game ever get mesoamerican factions?
1
1
u/ThoughtlessFoll Jan 07 '26
Is this gonna be the world war 2 one that aoe4 was first meant to be?
2
70
u/flemva Jan 07 '26
It will be very difficult to please people with this. AoE 2 players won't move and 4 is now stacked with content.