The official Age of Empires team has recapped the first half of 2026 and unveiled a fall lineup spanning three major titles. The Age of Empires 2026 roadmap includes new expansions for Age of Empires IV, Age II: Definitive Edition and Age III: Definitive Edition, each adding fresh civilizations, campaigns and modes for the franchise’s 75 million players. Raiders of the North and The Viking Sagas only have a “Fall” window so far, while The Baltic Powers is dated September 10, 2026, and its open beta on Steam runs until August 6.
Age of Empires 2026: A Strong First Half
Before looking ahead, the team highlighted major milestones from the first six months of the year:
- The Last Chieftains brought Age II: DE to South America, adding three new civilizations and three campaigns about historical struggles against violence from internal and external forces.
- Age of Mythology: Retold continued its Expansion Pass rollout with the Demeter Gods Pack, Ultimate Fan Pack, Blood & Bones Pack and the Aztecs in Obsidian Mirror.
- Red Bull Wololo: Londinium drew fans to London, UK, for what was described as a record-breaking event.
- Yue Fei’s Legacy expanded Age of Empires IV with the first new campaign since Sultans Ascend, set in China with the Song Dynasty facing Jin Dynasty invaders.
- macOS support arrived for Age II: DE in May via Steam, with partner Feral Interactive, more than six years after launch.
- Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition launched on Steam and Microsoft Store, and is also on Xbox Game Pass.
Age of Empires IV: Raiders of the North Introduces Vikings and Scots
Revealed at the 2026 Xbox Showcase, Age of Empires IV Raiders of the North is coming this Fall with two new civilizations: the Vikings and the Scots. No exact release date has been announced.
The Vikings are defined by fast, powerful melee infantry, naval competence, early religion and the communal Longhouse at the heart of their economy. Players complete Sagas for lasting bonuses and establish early Sacred Groves on Relic sites to bring Hamingja to their side when fighting nearby. The Bondi replaces the Spearman, is trained from both the Longhouse and Barracks, and gains a shield wall ability when grouped. The costlier Hirdman replaces the Man-at-Arms as a hard-hitting, resilient front-line unit, and the Berserker can enter a berserkergang frenzy, so keep an eye on your wood line.
The Scots civilization is built on resilience. Scots infantry can see right through stealth forests, and the Mustering Hall fields units such as the Gallowglass and Border Reivers at a discount. When the Gallowglass stand with Scottish Pike and Lochaber Axes, they form a schiltron to stop enemy cavalry charges. Highland Cattle eat berry bushes, providing a steady, sustainable food source, and Tower Houses offer vision and protection from raids, with an attached barmkin to bring the cattle inside.
Raiders of the North also expands The Crucible with four new missions, new boons, a new challenge mode and two-player co-op, plus two new biomes.
You can wishlist Raiders of the North on Steam.
Age of Empires II: The Viking Sagas Brings Three New Civilizations
The Viking Sagas, the next expansion for Age II: Definitive Edition, launches this Fall, with pre-orders coming later this summer. It adds the Danes (with the Jomsviking, who raids and hurls flaming torches), the Saxons (with the Hearth Troop, a heavy infantryman who opens with a ranged javelin) and the Varangians (with the Jarl, who hurls axes and tears through enemy infantry).
Three campaigns follow Harald Hardrada from his exploits across the Mediterranean, through raids on the Danish coast, to his invasion of England in 1066. Antagonists include the duplicitous Empress Zoe, King Svein Estridsson and King Harold Godwinson.
You can wishlist The Viking Sagas on Steam.
Age of Empires III: The Baltic Powers Beta and New Base Game Deal
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition’s The Baltic Powers arrives on September 10, 2026, adding the Danes and the Poles. The Danes bring economic intelligence and naval control, while the Poles have excellent resources for building a massive agricultural empire. Note that the Danes also appear in Age II: DE’s The Viking Sagas, so they will show up in two different games this fall.
As of the July 30 announcement, the open beta is live on Steam and runs until August 6, with pre-orders starting in a few weeks. The expansion includes two challenge scenarios, two new modes (Regicide and Independence), over 25 new maps, 20 new thematic maps, three new historical maps and more than 50 new hero customizations.
You can wishlist The Baltic Powers on Steam.
New Package for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
From August 13, the Free Trial is retired. New buyers get the base game plus the United States and Mexico civilizations and the Lizzie, Kunoichi and Vol1 Hero Cosmetic Packs at a discount. Existing Steam owners are automatically gifted any of those DLCs they do not already own. Free Trial owners can upgrade now or wait until September 10 to get all the content.
You can view the Age III: DE base game on Steam.
Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition and How to Follow Updates
Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition lets governors grow their kingdoms and fight massive alliance battles with mouse and keyboard in 4K. Crossplay with mobile lets players keep their progress and play with friends across devices.
You can get Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition on Steam.
For more on upcoming content, follow the official Age of Empires channels on Facebook, X and Discord.
Source: Official Age of Empires announcement, July 30, 2026.