14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has announced that Age of Empires Online, the free-to-play online strategy game, created by Robot Entertainment and by Gas Powered Games, will be launched this fall both in boxed form, for players to pick up at retail stores, and via digital distribution, although the company has not said where players will be able to download it.
The plans for the launch of Age of Empires Online are still being worked on, but it seems that the retail package of the game will offer those who buy it an upgraded premium civilization to play from the get-go and some more “unique bonus content,” although the developers have not specified what that will be.
The pricing for the two versions has not been decided, but it will probably be similar.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Danan Davis, who is one of the Microsoft executives working on Age of Empires Online, has said, “The industry in general is still in somewhat of a transition state. There are some players that still want to go down to the store and buy a retail product.”
When Age of Empires Online launches, players will be able to play as either the Greeks or the Egyptians and more civilization will be added by the team after the game is live.
The experience will be free to play, allowing gamers to customize a core city for all the civilizations, which will provide the armies and bonuses that they will then take and use in battle scenarios.
Microsoft says that the real-time strategy crowd will be able to pick up a premium upgrade for each of the civilizations, which will start them at level 20 and allow them to use more options in battle.
The name of one Booster Pack has been revealed as being Defense of Greece and is seems that the developers will also add new game modes through them, with one apparently inspired by Geometry Wars.