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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Catalogue entry · not reviewed · store data read 30 August 2026

42 Civilizations, 229 Campaign Missions, Singleplayer, Co-Op, Multiplayer, In-Game Editor, Mods, Cross-play...It is good to be the king.

Strategy

Player score
9.5/10
181,889 reviews
Released
2019
Developer
World's Edge
Platforms
2 systems
Critics
84
Steam Deck
playable
Download
15 GB
We have not written a full review of this game.This is a catalogue entry: everything below comes from a source we can link, checked on a stated date. There is no score and no verdict here, because we only publish those after a reviewer has played the game and written it up properly. Our team may well have played this one. Until someone writes the review, we are not going to imply a verdict we have not put our name to.

What is Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition?

42 Civilizations, 229 Campaign Missions, Singleplayer, Co-Op, Multiplayer, In-Game Editor, Mods, Cross-play...It is good to be the king.

Description as published by the developer on its own store page, read 30 August 2026. It is marketing copy, not our assessment.

The record

Catalogue facts
First released14 November 2019
DeveloperWorld's Edge, Forgotten Empires, Wicked Witch Software
PublisherXbox Game Studios
PlatformsXbox Series X and Series S, Steam Deck
GenresStrategy
Languages17 supported

Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q63463133, seeded 30 August 2026. Store data from Steam, read 30 August 2026.

How was Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition received?

Players95%positive of 181,889 · Very Positive
Metacritic84critic aggregate, PC
Achievements357on Steam

Method. Player figures are Steam's own totals for the PC version, read 30 August 2026. The Metacritic score is the one Steam publishes on its store page and can lag the site itself. Metacritic page. Neither is our opinion. We have not published a review of this game.

Accessibility

7 declared features

Seeing

  • Color Alternatives
  • Narrated Game Menus

Hearing

  • Custom Volume Controls

Input

  • Mouse Only Option
  • Playable without Timed Input

Difficulty

  • Adjustable Difficulty
  • Save Anytime

Method. Features the publisher declared on its own store page. A declaration is a floor, not a review.

What does it support?

Technical support
CapabilitySupport
ControllerNot stated
Cloud savesYes
Cross-platform playYes
Mod supportNo official workshop
Online playYes
In-game purchasesNo
Steam Deckplayable
Download size15 GB
Add-on content16 DLC listed
Age gateNone

Method. Read from the publisher's Steam listing on 30 August 2026. Describes the PC version. Console versions differ.

What does it cost?

$34.99

Steam price in US dollars, read 30 August 2026. Prices move hourly and vary by region. Check the current price.

Problems players report

We read the 300 most recent negative Steam reviews of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on 30 August 2026 and counted what they mention. These are complaints, not confirmed defects: we have not reproduced any of them, and a review describes one person's machine. What the counts tell you is which problems more than one person ran into.

  1. Crashes and freezes24 of 300 (8%)

    Previously you could use 3rd party software called CrossOver to run the PC version on Mac, but due to a recent game update in June 2026, the game now lags and crashes when playing via CrossOver.

    Steam review, 9 August 2026 · 241 hours played · 38 readers marked it helpful

    Game started just crashing on game start or a few minutes after game start some time start of the year and it still hasn't been fixed.

    Steam review, 6 August 2026 · 503 hours played · 7 readers marked it helpful
  2. Servers and connection12 of 300 (4%)

    (It used to be that running on VMWare Fusion would cause multiplayer game to desync, but I haven't tried again recently, nor have I tried Parallel).

    Steam review, 29 May 2026 · 425 hours played · 24 readers marked it helpful

    The matchmaking algorithm somehow consistently puts 8 players on 2 teams with skill levels divided down the middle.

    Steam review, 28 April 2026 · 451 hours played · 10 readers marked it helpful

A further 11 reviews call the game buggy or broken without saying how, which is why they are counted separately rather than assigned to a theme. Counted by keyword across review text, so a review discussing two problems is counted under both. Read the reviews yourself.

Games like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

24 games overlap with Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on the tags Steam players applied to it, on genre, and on theme. The closest are Age of Empires II (Retired), Age of Empires: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires.

All 24 games like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Common questions about Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

What platforms is Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on?

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is available on Xbox Series X and Series S, Steam Deck. It first released in 2019.

How much does Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition cost?

$34.99 on Steam in the United States, read on 30 August 2026. Prices move often and vary by region, so check the store before buying.

Do players recommend Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition?

95% of 181,889 Steam reviews are positive, which Steam rates Very Positive. That is players rating it, not our review. We have not published a review of this game.

What is the Metacritic score for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition?

84 out of 100 for the PC version, as published on the game's own Steam store page. Steam can lag Metacritic by a few points.

Does Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition work on Steam Deck?

Valve rates Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition as playable on the Steam Deck, from its own testing.

How big is the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition download?

15 GB on PC, from the storage requirement on its Steam listing. Console versions differ.