Main Series Play OrderRecommended
0 / 19 playedThe main historical games and expansions in release order. The Definitive Editions fold in the older expansions, so owners of those can skip the originals.
Classic releases
- 1 Age of Empires
- 2 Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Expansion to the first game, included in the Definitive Edition.
- 3 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
- 4 Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion to Age of Kings, included in later re-releases.
- 5 Age of Empires III
- 6 Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
- 7 Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties
- 8 Age of Empires Online Free-to-play online spinoff. Official servers shut down in 2014; the fan-run Project Celeste keeps it playable.
Definitive Editions
- 9 Age of Empires II: HD Edition Superseded by the Definitive Edition below.
- 10 Age of Empires: Definitive Edition Remaster of the 1997 original with The Rise of Rome included.
- 11 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition The version to play, with years of civilization DLC still being added.
- 12 Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires IV era
- 13 Age of Empires IV Developed by Relic Entertainment. A good modern entry point alongside Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
- 14 Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend
- 15 Age of Empires Mobile Mobile spinoff. Optional for PC and console players.
- 16 Age of Empires IV: Knights of Cross and Rose
- 17 Age of Empires IV: Dynasties of the East
- 18 Age of Empires IV: Yue Fei's Legacy Released May 7, 2026. Eight-mission campaign plus the Jin Dynasty civilization.
- 19 Age of Empires IV: Raiders of the North Listed on Steam for Q4 2026. Adds the Vikings and Scots.
Mythology Spin-offs
0 / 8 playedThe mythology branch, which reuses the Age of Empires formula with gods, heroes, and myth units instead of history.
- 1 Age of Mythology
- 2 Age of Mythology: The Titans Adds the Atlanteans and Titan units.
- 3 Age of Mythology: Extended Edition Superseded by Retold below.
- 4 Age of Mythology: Tale of the Dragon Adds the Chinese pantheon.
- 5 Age of Mythology: Retold Full remake and the version to play.
- 6 Age of Mythology: Retold - Immortal Pillars Adds the Chinese pantheon to Retold.
- 7 Age of Mythology: Retold - Heavenly Spear Adds the Japanese pantheon.
- 8 Age of Mythology: Retold - New Gods Pack: Demeter Adds the Greek goddess Demeter.
About Age of Empires
Age of Empires is Microsoft's historical real-time strategy series, running from the 1997 original through Age of Empires IV, with campaigns that each stand alone.
This play order follows release order across the main games and Definitive Editions, which is also the easiest way to see the formula evolve.
Good to know
Age of Empires IV: Yue Fei's Legacy launched May 7, 2026, and Raiders of the North is listed on Steam for Q4 2026. The many small civilization packs for the Definitive Editions are folded into their base games here.
