Xbox Fans Surprised With Stealth Release of Classic PC Franchise

Xbox fans have been surprised this week as a classic PC franchise has seen its latest installment come to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S consoles without warning. Every now and then to coincide with big events, video game publishers will capitalize on the moment to let loose notable titles that weren't previously announced for various platforms. Now, to line up with Gamescom 2023, Xbox has unveiled that arguably its biggest first-party franchise for PC has made its way to Xbox consoles. 

As of this week, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition has launched for Xbox platforms and Xbox Game Pass. Originally, Age of Empires IV came to PC last year and was generally well-received by both fans and critics. Since that time, Xbox fans have wondered if AoE IV would also come to consoles, particularly because a number of past installments in the franchise have landed on consoles in recent years. Not, nearing the game's one-year anniversary, Xbox has made good on those requests by releasing the Anniversary Edition of the game which features a bit more content. 

"Celebrating its first year of delighting millions of global players, the award-winning and best-selling strategy franchise continues with Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, putting you at the center of even more epic historical battles that shaped the world," says the official description of this new release. "Featuring both familiar and innovative new ways to expand your empire in vast landscapes with stunning 4K visual fidelity, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition brings an evolved real-time strategy game to the next level in this celebratory new version that includes a host of free new content such as brand-new civilizations, new maps, additional in-game updates and languages, and new masteries, challenges, taunts and cheats – all at an amazing value that packs in more history than ever before!"

Are you going to look to pick up Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition now that it has come to consoles? Or do you prefer playing strategy titles like this on PC instead? Be sure to let me know for yourself either down in the comments or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.