X019, Xbox's fan convention in London, England, is just a few short hours away from starting. Xbox has already teased the presence of 12 upcoming Xbox Game Studios titles at the event, as well as several major announcements and reveals. The festivities are starting a bit early this year, however, as a new game has already been launched. It may not be a "shadow drop," since its release date has been known since August, but it's still an exciting launch. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition launches today.
Rumors surrounding X019 originally implied the show would feature a shadow drop, but what was initially thought to be a shadow drop turned out to be no secret whatsoever. Rather, it was just a matter of confusion. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition has actually had a November 14 release date for some time now, with the announcement initially being made in August. So while Age of Empires 2 is being released today, it's not a surprise and it won't be "shadow dropped" during the show
In fact, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is even available right now. Yesterday the official Age of Empires Twitter account confirmed the exact timing of the game's release, a time that passed over an hour ago. Age of Empire fans who have been waiting patiently for the updated Definitive Edition of the game to wrap up development can dive into the game at any time. It's available solely on PC via the Microsoft Store, Steam, and through Xbox Game Pass for PC.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition isn't just a remaster of the classic RTS, however. Developer Forgotten Empires has expanded the game meaningfully. Not only will the game feature remastered 4K graphics, new visuals for troops and buildings, and features including the ability to zoom in and further out, but also new story content. A whole new campaign named The Last Khans was created just for the Definitive Edition. The game will also feature four new civilizations: the Bulgarians, Cumans, Lithuanians, and Tatars.
There will still be plenty of exciting news debuting at X019. News about the state of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC, which may not be a shadow drop but may be released soon, and apparently announcements from both Rare and Obsidian. Age of Empire fans likely have more exciting news to look forward to, as well. Age of Empires 4 is all but confirmed to be making an appearance at the event. It's a good time to be an Xbox fan. Now if the company would just reveal the Xbox Scarlett console at X019, too.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is available now on PC.