Age of Empires 4 adds two free civilizations this October

Two new civilizations are heading to Age of Empires 4 in a free update set to release on October 25.

Announced at Gamescom 2022, the Age of Empires 4 anniversary update will add the Malians and the Ottomans as playable factions. The Malians are suited to swiftly outmaneuvering opponents, flanking enemies and leveraging the element of surprise.

The Ottomans, meanwhile, are a more aggressive bunch whose powerful siege weaponry is best in head-on attacks. Their ability to rally large formations makes their frontlines strong. You’ll need to keep up the attack to break enemy defenses under the weight of your forces.

Watch the trailer below.

Released last year, Age of Empires 4 rebooted the classic RTS series to much fanfare. The Malians and Ottomans will mark the first new civilizations to be added to the game since launch, bringing its number of playable factions up to 10.

The game’s also on Xbox Game Pass, so any subscribers to Microsoft’s subscription platform can check out the anniversary update for free.