Deal | Rare Steam discount: One of the most popular real-time strategy games returns to its lowest-ever price

Alongside series such as Warcraft, StarCraft and Command & Conquer, Age of Empires remains one of the biggest names in real-time strategy. The franchise debuted on PC back in 1997, while Age of Empires IV was released in October 2021 and is still receiving regular updates and new content. Most recently, the Yue Fei’s Legacy expansion launched in May 2026, adding the Jin Dynasty as a new civilization alongside a new campaign. The Anniversary Edition is now available on Steam for around $14 instead of $40. According to SteamDB, this price level has only been reached a few times before, most recently in December 2025. Anyone who wants all DLC content, however, will have to spend significantly more.

Age of Empires IV takes players into the major conflicts of the Middle Ages. Whether leading the English, Mongols, Chinese or one of the many other civilizations, the goal is always to turn a small settlement into a thriving medieval stronghold. Historical campaigns revisit real events such as the Norman conquest of England and the expansion of the Mongol Empire. At its core, the game follows the classic RTS formula of economy, research and warfare. With each new age, players gain access to additional buildings, stronger units and more powerful siege weapons. Battles are highly tactical, with different unit types, siege engines and terrain advantages all playing an important role.

In its review, PC Games praised the strong gameplay variety. The base game alone includes eight civilizations, each with its own mechanics and playstyle. The amount of content was also received positively, with four extensive campaigns offering around 30 to 40 hours of gameplay before any DLC is taken into account. Criticism was aimed mainly at the lack of truly original ideas, several technical issues and visuals that were already not quite cutting-edge at launch in 2021. Even so, PC Games awarded the game 8 out of 10 points. The Steam community also paints a positive picture. Age of Empires IV currently has almost 93,000 user reviews, 85% of which are positive. On the Steam Deck, the game is listed as “Playable.” Strategy games are naturally better suited to mouse and keyboard, but Valve’s trackpads make the handheld experience more comfortable than expected.

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