'Age Of Empires 3' Expansion Pack 2021: Release Date, Features And More

An African-themed expansion pack for “Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition” was recently revealed by Xbox Game Studios, making this new entry the first DLC to come to the game in over a decade.

The “African Royals” expansion will introduce two new civilizations to “Age of Empires 3”: the Ethiopians and the Hausa, both of which come with mechanics that are not seen in the other factions.

The expansion pack will also feature new maps set in the African territories, as well as three historical battle scenarios: the Battle of the Three Kings, the Fall of the Hausa and the Era of the Princes.

The African factions have a unique Age-up mechanic that allows them to forge Alliances with the game’s existing factions. After choosing a faction to ally with, the Africans will be able to recruit their allies’ units and research their technology. They can also supplement their armies with mercenaries and imported artillery, making both factions highly adaptable.

The Ethiopians have access to Palaces and Mountain Monasteries, as well as the unique Shotel Warriors and Sebastopol Mortars, among many others. Meanwhile, the Hausa can build a strong early-game advantage over their enemies with their effective skirmish troops and bonuses to livestock and universities.

A new resource called Influence is also being introduced to the game. Influence is used to recruit allied units and mercenaries. This resource is gained by building faction-specific buildings, trading posts, capital shipments and more.

This introduces a new strategic layer to the game by giving players the option to either capitalize on their existing forces or rely on outside help. This can also affect build paths, forcing players to decide between going down the traditional economic route or a less conventional, influence-based strategy.

This expansion pack is the latest DLC for “Age of Empires 3.” The game was originally released back in 2005 and received two expansion packs, “The Warchiefs” and “The Asian Dynasties,” over the next two years. In 2017, “Age Of Empires 3 Definitive Edition” was released, featuring all previous DLCs and improved graphical fidelity.

The “African Royals” DLC is set to release on Aug. 2 on Steam and the Windows Store. Players must own “Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition” to purchase this expansion pack.