Hey Community!

Today we’re ready to launch our May Public Update Preview available via a Beta branch on Steam: This will be a small and focused update to address priority issues including critical bugs affecting gameplay and stability, much desired adjustments to the new Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado Ladder maps, and other important issues from your reports!

Our teams are still working to investigate issues with Quickplay matches not starting or becoming unresponsive. We’ve also temporarily adjusted the penalty players receive when leaving a match early (for our quickplay users only) so no one is timed out from this issue.

While our PUP is only available on Steam, we do want to let console players know that we’ve also got fixes for Xbox planned for the next update to address reported issues with both the radial menu and y-button functionality.

Best queue times while searching for Lobbies in PUP continue to be:

• 11:00am-1:00pm PT
  
• 6:00pm-8:00pm PT
  
• 7:00pm-9:00pm GMT

Thank you for playing, and we look forward to your feedback in the Steam forums:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/813780/discussions/30/4357872852123023203/

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• Fixed a variety of crashes.
  
• Addressed performance issues affecting users on Windows 10 and earlier systems.
  
• Resolved a crash when loading old Return of Rome saves in Single Player mode.

• Clamping mouse to window now works properly with multi-monitor setups on any monitor.

• Animated Profile Icons are now moving as intended in the Player Icons menu.

• Addressed an issue where foragers were not dropping off food to a nearby mill.
  
• Fixed an issue where units could repeatedly attempt to attack a neutral map object (such as a pyramid) they cannot interact with.

• Cliffbound:
  
  • Added preventative measures to ensure villagers no longer generate trapped inside forests when playing Empire Wars.
• Dunesprings:
  
  • Relics are now more evenly spread out across the map.
    
  • The player's starting gold deposit has been reduced from seven to five tiles.
• Golden Stream:
  
  • The middle now scales more appropriately when playing on larger map sizes.
• Hollow Woodlands:
  
  • The spacing between the player's town centres and the water is now more even.
    
  • Adjusted resources to ensure a more balanced distribution between players.
    
  • Heavily decreased the chance of villagers generating trapped between forest trees.
    
  • Neutral huntable animals now spawn in groups three, instead of groups of four.
• Isthmus:
  
  • Fixed a bug that allowed players to sometimes wall across the unbuildable terrain.
    
  • Increased the width of the unbuildable terrain.
    
  • Fixed stone not generating on the small islets when said islets are generating too close to the edge of the map.
    
  • Islets now generate more evenly between the two bodies of water.
    Islets have been increased in size, allowing for more resources and easier building placement.
    
  • Fixed islets not generating appropriately when playing on larger map sizes.
    
  • Fixed units behaving strangely when fighting around the central pyramid.
• Karsts:
  
  • The player's starting stone deposit has been reduced from five to three tiles.
    
  • Minor aesthetic adjustments have been made.
• Mountain Dunes:
  
  • The elevation on the map now scales more appropriately on larger map sizes.
• River Divide:
  
  • Shorefish now consistently spawn on the player's side of the river.
• Sandrift
  
  • Fixed some incorrect terrains occasionally appearing out of place on the map.
    
  • Fixed a bug that caused forests to not generate correctly for all players.
• The Passage:
  
  • Fixed some forests acting like straggler trees, making them removable by placing buildings on top of them.
    
  • Fixed relics sometimes not being retrievable when generating on shallows that were too small.
    
  • Fixed resources sometimes generating further away from the player's town centres than intended.
    
  • Docks now spawn much further apart when playing Empire Wars.
    
  • The dock and watch tower now only generates during Empire Wars.
    
  • Fixed player-specific resources sometimes not generating on larger map sizes.
    
  • Fixed a bug that caused forests to not generate correctly for all players.
• Shrubland:
  
  • Added preventative measures to ensure villagers no longer generate trapped inside forests when playing Empire Wars.
    
  • Relics are now more evenly spread out between the players.
    
  • Fixed relics sometimes being inaccessible after generating inside forests.
    
  • Fixed the relic on Capture the Relic being entrapped and impossible to retrieve.
    
  • Slightly reduced the number of forage bushes on the map.
    
  • The player's starting gold deposit has been reduced from seven to five tiles.
    
  • Fixed relics sometimes generating trapped between forage bushes.

The 1v1 ranked ladder for Empire Wars will be temporarily shelved and replaced by a new 1v1 ranked ladder for the upcoming Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament. This is a new ladder that levels the playing field as you compete for ELO and opportunity. The map pool is also being updated to the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament maps, providing the pool with a welcome refresh.

Fear not, however; some time after the tournament has concluded, the prior Empire Wars ladder will be restored and existing ratings and leaderboards will return to the state they were in before this swap-out.

The Team Game ladder will also receive an update to the map pool, but the TG ladder is not associated with the tournament – only the 1v1 ladder. This means that your Empire Wars Team Game rating and statistics will remain unchanged during this period.

The new ladder is being used as part of the upcoming Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament as a method to qualify for the event. In order to ensure an even playing field for all competitors, the leader board has to be temporarily reset. The four with the highest Elo rating achieved on the leaderboard by the 28th of July will be directly invited to the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado event taking place at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Spain.

Your experience will remain the same; however, you may find that your 1v1 rating will require a few games before it settles. With this change, you will be able to experience what it’s like to play on the settings and maps of one of the biggest tournaments for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. The ladder holds no restrictions, anyone is free to play on the ladder whether they intend to participate in the tournament or not.

Please be aware, there is a Controller Only ladder visible for Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado for those playing on Xbox. However, this ladder will not be eligible for qualification. Remember to enable crossplay, as qualification will only be available to those on the cross-play enabled ladder.

Click for more information[www.ageofempires.com] on the tournament.

Welcome to another fun-filled update for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! This is a small one with bug fixes, balance changes, and some new quality of life features. While there are plenty of notable things to look forward to in today’s build, here’s some of the big highlights coming with this month’s update:

• New QoL Features:
  
  • Farms can now be automatically placed around a Mill or a Town Center by holding Shift (LT for Xbox) and clicking the Farm over the Building.
    
  • All scouting units can now use the Auto Scout functionality instead of just the starting one.
• Bug fixes based on your feedback
  
• Balance changes

Be sure to dig down into the post below to get all of the smaller details before hopping in-game and checking them out firsthand.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

[www.ageofempires.com]

💬 DISCUSS: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum[forums.ageofempires.com]🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord[discord.gg]

Thanks again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!

—The Age of Empires Team

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Build Spotlight

Temporary Reset of Empire Wars 1v1 Ladder During Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado

The 1v1 ranked ladder for Empire Wars will be temporarily shelved and replaced by a new 1v1 ranked ladder for the upcoming Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament. This is a new ladder that levels the playing field as you compete for ELO and opportunity. The map pool is also being updated to the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament maps, providing the pool with a welcome refresh.

Fear not, however; some time after the tournament has concluded, the prior EW ladder will be restored, and existing ratings and leaderboards will return in the state they were in before this swap-out.

The Team Game ladder will also receive an update to the map pool, but the TG ladder is not associated with the tournament – only the 1v1 is. This means that your Empire Wars Team Game rating and statistics will remain unchanged during this period.

Why is the ladder being temporarily reset?
The new ladder is being used as part of the upcoming Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament as a method to qualify for the event. In order to ensure an even playing field for all competitors, the leader board has to be temporarily reset. The four with the highest Elo rating achieved on the leaderboard by the 28th of July will be directly invited to the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado event taking place at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Spain.

How does this affect you?
Your experience will remain the same; however, you may find that your 1v1 rating will require a few games before it settles. With this change, you will be able to experience what it’s like to play on the settings and maps of one of the biggest tournaments for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. The ladder holds no restrictions, anyone is free to play on the ladder whether they intend to participate in the tournament or not.

Please be aware, there is a Controller Only ladder visible for Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado for those playing on Xbox. However, this ladder will not be eligible for qualification. Remember to enable crossplay, as qualification will only be available to those on the cross-play enabled ladder.

Click for more information[www.ageofempires.com] on the tournament.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

[www.ageofempires.com]

:alertalert: DISCLAIMER

This list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.
For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

The Red Bull Wololo tournament is back in 2024 with Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado – when new legends will soon be forged through the fires of competition. Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado will take place at Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Spain – summoning the fiercest Age of Empires champions to challenge the reigning kings of the castle for their crown.

All are welcome to test their mettle – from seasoned veterans to those who wish to try their luck in a tournament for the very first time.

Plus, with over twenty-five years of legendary battles in the Age of Empires franchise, Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado will comprise of four titles in which competitors will be able to prove themselves worthy:

• Age of Empires – Played using Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Return of Rome
  
• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
  
• Age of Empires IV
  
• Age of Mythology: Retold

This year, Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado will also tread the land of gods, legends and mythical beings in the first-ever competition in Age of Mythology: Retold.

The qualification trials will soon commence, allowing fearless contenders the chance to enter through the mighty castle gates at Castillo de Almodóvar del Río. Those who succeed will join us for the main event starting on October 3rd! Days of fierce battles will end with four champions proudly taking their new thrones on October 6th.

You’ll be guided through the spectacle by the most beloved faces in the community, and you can catch the main event live on the Red Bull Gaming YouTube and Twitch[www.twitch.tv] channels. Whether you plan to witness the showdown from home or from the castle grounds, there will be plenty of action and activities for fans to enjoy.

Read the full announcement from Red Bull here[www.redbull.com].

Looking Back at Red Bull Wololo

History trembles with the weight of legendary battles won and lost since the very first Red Bull Wololo tournament in 2020. Let us take a glance back through the ages and see how it all began.

Spoilers below from the past Red Bull Wololo Tournaments!

The First One

From the first spark of Red Bull Wololo, it was evident that we were witnessing something unique. The tournament was one of the first of its kind to utilise the newly added “Empire Wars” game mode, which allowed for more fast-paced and thrilling games, captivating audiences worldwide. With a prize pool of over $22,000.00, the competition was fierce. After an exhilarating grand final between TheViper and Mr_Yo, the first-ever Red Bull Wololo champion Mr_Yo was crowned.

Red Bull Wololo II

It wasn’t long before the flames were reignited and Red Bull Wololo II was announced, but this time, the stakes were higher than ever with $30,000.00 on the line. The tournament proved that anything was possible – expectations and player seeding meant nothing in the level of competition we were witnessing. The games were sharper, the show was greater, and the competition was blazing with two new finalists. Liereyy and Hera both met in the grand final after fighting through the many challengers on their path, before ultimately Liereyy was crowned as the champion of Red Bull Wololo II.

Red Bull Wololo III

With Red Bull Wololo III, we saw the tournament format evolve. The thrill of group stages and nail-biting eliminations pushed the players to their limits. In an unforgettable final between DauT and Liereyy, expectations were deified and DauT snatched victory from one of the most highly-regarded players in Age of Empires.

Red Bull Wololo IV

Red Bull Wololo IV embraced the epic Viking spirit with a diverse set of themed maps; players were transported to a world of longships and brutal raids. Sixteen entered the fray, but only one could reign supreme. Yet, through the chaos, Hera and Liereyy met again. As the dust settled, through their undeniable dominance the Red Bull Wololo throne was reclaimed by Liereyy.

Red Bull Wololo: Enthrone

History changed forever with Red Bull Wololo: Enthrone, the fifth iteration of the event. The legendary Heidelberg Castle became the battleground for this breathtaking tournament. The Red Bull Wololo had outgrown its online roots and became a spectacle with players battling against each other face-to-face, in the confines of the castle walls. This was where TheViper challenged Liereyy for his crown, and after uncontested strategic brilliance, TheViper ascended, becoming our Red Bull Wololo champion.

Red Bull Wololo: Legacy

In 2022, another siege was on the horizon. Red Bull Wololo: Legacy, the sixth iteration. In a celebration of multiple games in the franchise, we witnessed a display of dominance across several titles, once more, in the grand Castle of Heidelberg. The roar of a first-ever live audience fueling the players of Age of Empires, II, and IV. Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng, TaToH, and MarineLord, each a titan of their chosen title, emerged victorious.

We hope you enjoyed this quick recap of past Red Bull Wololo events. You’ll be able to watch the upcoming Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado on the Red Bull Gaming YouTube and Twitch[www.twitch.tv] channels. We hope to see you there!

Want to play some Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, but don’t want to commit to a normal match and still have fun with your friends? This is the perfect time to check out some of the incredible Custom Scenarios the community has developed over the last 20+ years.

Custom Scenarios are alternative game modes, with different objectives and rules than traditional play. Here are three incredibly fun and accessible Custom Scenarios created inside the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Scenario Editor and are a blast to play!

[expand type=details]Installing a Custom Scenario is essentially the same as installing a Custom Campaign. Once you’ve done it a few times, it’s extremely easy.

1. From the Main Menu, select the Gear Icon in the top right of the screen, near your profile icon. A new Menu will then appear, select the ‘Mods’ option.
   
2. This will take you to the Mod Manager. From here at the top of the screen, select ‘Browse Mods’.
   
3. Then on the right of the search bar, you have a drop-down menu you can click on to filter the type of mods being shown. Click the Scenario option.
   
4. Now you have a gigantic list of all the community created Custom Scenarios and scenarios available to be downloaded and played. You can sort these by clicking on the Name, Date Created, Last Updated or DL (Download) text. If you’re just getting started, we recommend sorting by DL.
   
5. When you select a Custom Scenario, you’ll get a small description on the right of the screen. Once you’ve found a Custom Scenario you like the description of, while you have it selected, click the Subscribe button at the bottom of your screen and it will begin downloading and installing.
   
6. Once the Custom Scenario has been downloaded and installed, which is indicated by a Tick next to the name, return to the Main Menu. Then select the Multiplier option and select Host Game to create a Lobby. Then for Game Mode, select Custom Scenario which will take you to a list of your subscribed Custom Scenarios.
   
7. Click the Custom Scenario you wish to play and you’re ready to go!

[/expand]

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[www.ageofempires.com]

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Roll The Dice by AzZzru & Deadly Weed

Roll the Dice is a low stress and chaotic Custom Scenario for up to 8 players, creating fun moments through random chance and crazy abilities.

At the beginning, each players spawns with a random unit, this could be anything from a humble Spearman, to a slow but powerful Teutonic Knight or even a mighty Hero unit. Your mission is to destroy the Outpost of each other player (or opposing team) at the center of the map.

Defeating your opponents randomly generated units will unlock Trade Carts, which can be exchange for upgrades at the store to power up your units, repair your Outpost or other incredible effects: such as inflicting huge amounts of damage to another player. Once there is only a single outpost (or a single team of outposts) remaining, the game is over and the team with the remaining outposts wins the game.

Roll the Dice naturally creates fun and laughter, plus due to the random element, can’t be taken too seriously.

[www.ageofempires.com]

Castle Blood Automatic by Tenchy

Special thanks to: +Saint_Fork, [s1L3nt]DoMiNaTIoN, (agemania)GoD_Mith, (agemania)[NoD]_GhostI3en, Pine

Brought to Definitive Edition by Alian713.

Castle Blood Automatic is an enjoyable and intense 4v4 Custom Scenario that focuses nearly entirely on huge military engagements.

Each player begins with a fortress consisting of four Watch Towers, four Castles, Fortified Walls and two Gates. Your goal is to destroy your opponents fortress, however the twist is your Castles will automatically spawn your civilizations Unique Unit to do it with – see where the game modes get’s it’s name?

As you defeat more of your opponents units your civilization will advance through the ages, rewarding you with upgrades to make use of. When you raze a building or Gate you’ll be rewarded with Villagers who can construct buildings, to utilize the vast amount of resources you begin with. Greatly expanding your military options for pushing your opponents.

This results in massive battles between unique units, and as more Villagers become available huge armies clashing until the final opponent’s Castle is razed, ending the game.

[www.ageofempires.com]

Dodgeball by _MELEE_Master_ & [Eot_]_Master_G

Special thanks to: Rambit & [ViCiouS] Donnie
Brought to Definitive Edition by Alian713.

Dodgeball is one of the less intensive Custom Scenario, but still provides huge moments of laughter.

In a game of Dodgeball, each player spawns with a Bombard Cannon and earns points by using the ‘Attack Ground’ option to defeat their opponents Bombard Cannons. For each Bombard Cannon you destroy, your team will earn a point, easy as that!

Like traditional Dodgeball, the play space is marked out – ensure you read the instructions and don’t out of bounds. Friendly fire is also a factor, be careful with your shots! Each match is played to either 11 or 21 points, selected at the start of the game and results in frantic micromanagement, trying to avoid your opponents' shots while trying to line them up.

[www.ageofempires.com]

We hope we’ve inspired you to grab some friends and try something different – now it’s time to start downloading and get playing!

Let us know which Custom Scenarios you’ve enjoyed the most and please leave a recommendation for others to try!

Fetch the ropes, hoist the sails and man the oars, we're going fishing!

The newest Custom Map Challenge Mercantilism by GamerLegion puts you in the role of an aspiring fish trade company. Your goal is to revolutionize the fish trade in the contested areas of the Indonesian archipelago. Conquer fishing grounds, defend your company, trade and let your profits skyrocket.

Submit your runs on the GL Discord in order to participate in the challenge and take your shot at the 200€ prize pool!

Today’s Hotfix contains bugfixes from Update 108769.
Thank you again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!
—The Age of Empires Team

💬 DISCUSS: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum[forums.ageofempires.com]
🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord[discord.gg]

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Build Spotlight

• Fixed an issue where using the "Drop Off" command under certain circumstances could cause villagers to "hunt" trees down and gather food from them.
  
• Hunters will no longer turn into Lumberjacks after dropping off food manually by right-clicking the Town Center.
  
• After depleting a Boar, Hunters will no longer automatically hunt another live Boar if the “Drop Off” resources command was used.
  
• After depleting a Sheep, Shepherds will automatically go to another Sheep even if “Drop Off” command was used.
  
• After using the “Drop Off” or “Back to Work” commands, villagers will go back to the same target they were previously working on, instead of picking a new one. If villagers were previously standing idle, they will go back to that location consistently.
  
• Return of Rome achievements should be triggering once again.

[www.ageofempires.com]

:alertalert: DISCLAIMER

This list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.
For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

Introducing The Siege! Play 2v2, co-op vs AI, or solo vs AI as the Turks or the Byzantines during the epic Siege of Constantinople (1453). Play against other players or AI, or play solo on either side of the battle. The Turks must build up their army to take the Monument before time runs out, while the Byzantines have defenses but limited resources to hold on as long as they can - both battling it out in the massive and historically-inspired city of Constantinople!

If you love The Siege, the new Victors and Vanquished expansion includes two solo scenarios that expand on the battle with voice acting, extra objectives, scripted events, and more!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2805510/Age_of_Empires_II_Definitive_Edition__Victors_and_Vanquished/

Today’s small update contains bugfixes from Update 107882, plus, there’s a new limited-time scenario: The Siege!

Here’s what to expect in this release:

• solutions to recently reported hotkey issues
  
• fixes to remove exploits from the new Drop Off command
  
• bugfixes to the new Victors and Vanquished scenarios

Be sure to dig down into the post below to get all of the smaller details before hopping in-game and checking them out firsthand.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

[www.ageofempires.com]

💬 DISCUSS: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum[forums.ageofempires.com]🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord[discord.gg]

Thanks again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!

—The Age of Empires Team

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Build Spotlight

New! Limited-time Scenario: The Siege

Introducing The Siege, a new multiplayer limited-time scenario! Play 2v2, co-op vs AI, or solo vs AI as the Turks or Byzantines at the epic 1453 Siege of Constantinople.
Turks must build up their army to take the Monument before time runs out. Byzantines have defenses but limited resources to hold on as long as they can. Both sides do battle over the massive and historically-inspired city of Constantinople.
Play against other players, team up against the AI, or play solo as either side of the battle.
And if you love The Siege, the new Victors and Vanquished expansion includes two solo scenarios that expand on the battle with voice acting, more objectives, scripted events, and more!

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

[www.ageofempires.com]

:alertalert: DISCLAIMER

This list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.
For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2805510/Age_of_Empires_II_Definitive_Edition__Victors_and_Vanquished/?beta=1

Hotfix 60305

Gameplay

• Fixed an issue where using the "Drop Off" command under certain circumstances could cause villagers to "hunt" trees down and gather food from them.
  
• Hunters will no longer turn into Lumberjacks after dropping off food manually by right-clicking the Town Center.
  
• After depleting a Boar, Hunters will no longer automatically hunt another live Boar if the "Drop Off" resources command was used.
  
• After depleting a Sheep, Shepherds will automatically go to another Sheep even if "Drop Off" command was used.
  
• After using the "Drop Off" or "Back to Work" commands, villagers will go back to the same target they were previously working on, instead of picking a new one. If villagers were previously standing idle, they will go back to that location consistently.

Achievements

• Return of Rome achievements should be triggering once again.