Age of Empires

Players take command of ancient civilizations in Age of Empires, a real-time strategy game that launched on October 15, 1997. Developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft, this title introduced the Genie Engine to render detailed 2D sprites across Windows, macOS, and Classic Mac OS. The core loop involves guiding a society from the Stone Age through the Tool, Bronze, and Iron Ages. Each technological leap unlocks new units and buildings, forcing players to balance resource gathering with military expansion against computer opponents or rivals online.[edit]