Age of Empires 4 is getting custom content, mod support, and a ranked mode

age of empires 4 tips
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

The Age of Empires 4 spring update roadmap has been revealed and it includes the likes of a content editor and ranked mode, alongside quality of life improvements. 

Revealed via the official Age of Empires website, developer Relic Entertainment and World’s Edge gave fans a roadmap for the upcoming 'spring update' - now known as Season One. Although the roadmap doesn’t include a release date just yet, the developers did say: "We can share that it’s not too far off and that there will be the opportunity to preview it in the near future if you own the game on Steam."

So what can fans expect to get out of Season One? Well, according to the post, a new Content Editor will be added to Age of Empires 4 which will allow creators to make and share their own content with the AOE community. Not only this but Age of Empires 4 will also be getting a number of in-house mods and tutorials to help budding modders get started. 

Also being introduced in Season One is a 1v1 Ranked Ladder mode which will see players pit against each other to earn exclusive in-game rewards such as Monuments, Player Profile Portraits, and Coat of Arms items. The new ranked mode was previously previewed at the end of January and has since gone on to receive a number of small tweaks before it rolls out fully in the upcoming season. 

Some other features announced as coming to Season One include Hotkey improvements, which will soon enable additional categories within the hotkey menu, bind other commands to the 'ALT' and 'Shift' keys, and other improvements. The developers acknowledged that they are aware of how important editable hotkeys are to Age of Empire players, and revealed that they expect to "introduce fully remappable inputs in Season Two."

Finally, the post revealed that new quality of life improvements (such a Global Build Queue and the Patrol move) will also be introduced in Season One along with the MegaRandom map, a new Art of War challenge, difficulty tuning across campaign missions, and more. 

Getting ready to jump into Season One when it eventually releases? Take a look at our Age of Empires 4 tips and tricks before you get started. In the meantime, you can also check out our pick of the best games like Age of Empires.

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Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.  

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