Age of Empires announce trailer with release date, play for free

By BatRastered — June 2, 2011
Tags: age-of-empires free games-for-windows-live microsoft microsoft-game-studios news pc release-date

Age of Empires Online -- the next chapter in the best-selling Age of Empires PC game franchise -- will be available worldwide on August 16 in retail stores and online at ageofempiresonline.com.

With its launch, the game will feature two of the greatest ancient civilizations -- the Greeks and Egyptians -- and offer more than 40 hours of gameplay for free!

Here are some interesting points from the Age of Empires FAQ

The following features are free to play:

Familiar Age of Empires gameplay, and downloadable to any PC for free!
The greatest ancient civilizations, including Greeks and Egyptians.
Constantly new, exciting, and evolving content.
Quest, battle, chat, and trade with other players.
Build and show off your own custom Capital City.
Enjoy historical settings with gorgeous visuals and a cool new art style.

So, it's a lot like a demo. I gues this is where games are headed. Here's what you get for upgrading to premium FWIW:

A Premium Civ Pack will add the following to your experience:

Rare and epic gear: Unlock gear that makes your units more powerful, with unique designs to make your armies stand out in battle.
Advisors: In the Advisor Hall, you can unlock unique units, such as armored elephants and civilization powers.
Tech Tree: Experience the full Tech Tree with fantastic end-game Star Techs. For example, generate resources from your Market, have your troops bandage themselves, or make your people immune to conversion in battle.
Player vs. Player: Set parameters for the gameplay you want and invite your friends to play,
Additional Inventory slots: More than double your inventory space.
More Workshops: Drastically improve your capital’s production with more workshops to create all the materials you need for crafting.
Craft Halls: Learn unit enhancements from additional Craft Halls and use them to your advantage in the game. You get seven to choose from, including the Military College, which enhances infantry; the Hunting Lodge, which enhances archers and missile units; and the Cavalry Hall, which enhances mounted units.
Empire Points: Get the ability to spend Empire Points on the best loot in the game. Empire Points reward you for having multiple civilizations.
In-game stores: Earn in-game currency from the stores in your Capital City.