Is Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on Sale and What Does It Include?

Updated

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (AoE3:DE) has been discounted on Steam — the site's news feed recorded a 65% off sale running until December 4th, 2024, with the DLCs also discounted individually and as a bundle. The base game includes the original Age of Empires III content plus The WarChiefs and The Asian Dynasties, along with the Swedes and Incas civilizations. Four DLCs add further civilizations and campaigns, and a free trial is available on Steam if you want to test it before buying.

What the Definitive Edition includes

According to Age of Empires III Heaven's news coverage, the base game bundles:

  • The original Age of Empires III content
  • The WarChiefs expansion content
  • The Asian Dynasties expansion content
  • The Swedes and Incas civilizations

On top of that, there are 4 DLC additions that expand the civilizations and campaigns on offer. These are sold individually or as a bundle, and were discounted alongside the base game during the recorded sale.

Where to buy and try it

AoE3:DE is available on:

  • Steam
  • Windows Store

A free trial is offered on Steam for players who want to try the game before purchasing.

Why the Definitive Edition matters now

The original Age of Empires III (2007) was withdrawn from sale on Steam, and its multiplayer services were shut down on October 30, 2024 at 10am PT. Single-player campaign and skirmish content remain playable for anyone who already owns the game, but online multiplayer is no longer available for that version.

AoE3:DE and its expansions continue to support multiplayer, which is the main reason the Definitive Edition is the version to pick up if you want to play online.

Sale pricing context

The site notes that the base game is regularly discounted to £4/$5 and that the Steam Autumn Sale typically starts at the end of November. The recorded 65% off promotion ran until December 4th, 2024. If you're reading this outside that window, check Steam directly for the current price — discounts on this title have recurred.

Quick decision guide

If you want to... Choose
Play online multiplayer AoE3:DE (original 2007 multiplayer is shut down)
Play campaign/skirmish only and already own the 2007 game Either works; the 2007 version still runs offline
Try before buying Steam free trial of AoE3:DE
Get all civilizations and campaigns Base game + the 4 DLCs (check for bundle discounts)

For current pricing, DLC details, and patch news, the AoE3 Heaven news feed and forums remain an active community reference for anything Age of Empires III related.