Hungry for more Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition campaigns? We’ve recently played through three more fantastic Custom Campaigns that we simply have to recommend, each of them scratching our itch for more single player, historic and story driven gameplay.

We love community-created content and the huge effect it has had on Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. Over the years we’ve seen everything from visual enhancements, to entirely new Game Modes, and even fully fledged Custom Campaigns.

We’ve got another three Custom Campaign recommendations that have been created by our fantastic community, ready for your enjoyment. If you’ve never played a Custom Campaign before, we have all the details below on how you can install and start enjoying these fantastic community creations below.

Now that you know how to install these campaigns, let’s look at some recommendations to get started having fun!

Tomislav By Hainaut183

From the ruins of Charlemagne’s Holy Roman Empire rises Croatia. Led by their brilliant and charismatic ruler Tomislav, the Croats quickly grow from a disorganized collection of primitive tribes into one of the mightiest empires of Southern Europe.

Featuring 6 fantastically creative campaign missions and a whole new civilization. Tomislav is a brilliant Custom Campaign that makes use of classic Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition gameplay, then twists it into it’s own special flavour, resulting in an absolutely fantastic gameplay experience.

• Don’t forget to download the recommended Tomislav Supplement mod to receive the intended and complete experience!

Willem Van Oranje by Shimakaze23

Follow the journey of William of Orange leading the Dutch Revolution against the Spanish Habsburgs. As one of the leaders of the Eighty Years’ War, he was the first ruler of the Dutch Republic. Under his leadership, the Netherlands pushed back Spanish rule and established the world’s first capitalist country, and the revolution he led was also the world’s first successful revolution.

Explore 6 beautifully crafted maps across 6 campaign missions filled with classic Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition build and destroy gameplay, with battles massive in scope! Escape ambushes, defeat armies and claim cities in this phenomenal Custom Campaign, which is sure to impress any fan of the franchise.

Komnenos – The Byzantine Restoration by PhillySouljah

Can a dying empire be saved? The Roman Empire is collapsing, plagued by internal power struggles, rebellions, and foreign invasions. As Alexios Komnenos, seize the throne from a failed emperor, fight the Turks and Normans to expand your realm, and fend off pretenders and rebels with their own aspirations for your crown.

Though only a single scenario, the beautiful map design, creative objectives and personality make this a must play Custom Campaign. Manage your resources and army to strategically re-establish your empire all while defending from the multiple enemy’s you’ve made through your choices.

• We found there’s lots of surprises, ensure you save often!

Are you inspired? Now it’s time to start downloading and get playing!

Let us know which Custom Campaigns you’ve enjoyed the most and please leave a recommendation for others to try!

Counting down for another DLC because you can’t get enough of the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition campaigns? Want more single player, historic and story driven gameplay? Well we have good news for you!

Community-created content is a huge part of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. We’ve seen everything from visual enhancements, to entirely new Game Modes, and even fully fledged Custom Campaigns.

Today, we’re talking about installing and playing the near endless amount of Custom Campaigns and stories created by the community, ready for you to enjoy. Plus, we’ll give you our top 3 Custom Campaign recommendations to get started!

How To Install a Custom Campaign

Installing a Custom Campaign may look a little bit daunting, but let’s walk through the process step by step. Follow the steps below! We promise it’s easy, just a little hidden.

1. From the Main Menu, select the Gear Icon in the top right of the screen, near your profile icon. A new Menu will then appear, select the ‘Mods’ option.
2. This will take you to the Mod Manager. From here at the top of the screen, select ‘Browse Mods’.
3. Then on the right of the search bar, you have a drop-down menu you can click on to filter the type of mods being shown. Click the Campaigns option.
4. Now you have a gigantic list of all the community created Custom Campaigns and scenarios available to be downloaded and played. You can sort these by clicking on the Name, Date Created, Last Updated or DL (Download) text. If you’re just getting started, we recommend sorting by DL.
5. When you select a campaign, you’ll get a small description on the right of the screen. Once you’ve found a Campaign you like the description of, while you have it selected, click the Subscribe button at the bottom of your screen and it will begin downloading and installing.
6. Once the Campaign has been downloaded and installed, which is indicated by a Tick next to the name, return to the Main Menu. Then select the Single Player option, the Campaigns option and then at the bottom of your screen you’ll see a button for Custom Campaigns.
7. Click the Custom Campaigns button and a new menu will open up and you’ll be able to select your newly downloaded campaign. Click on the Select Campaign button, and you’re ready to go!

Now that you know how to install these campaigns, let’s look at some recommendations to get started having fun!

The Golden Horde by BassiAoC

Genghis Khan is dead, but the Mongols ride on! Join Batu Khan’s dauntless warriors and establish the Golden Horde Khanate. Play through intricate puzzles and creative objectives with classic build and destroy Age of Empires gameplay. Invade Russia, subdue Volga Bulgaria, and defeat the Kipchaks!

This campaign does have a small puzzle in the beginning that can be a little tricky if you’re not super familiar with some of the more whacky Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition mechanics. The answer to the puzzle can be found by reading the spoiler tag below

SPOILER

To complete your mission, you’ll need to perform a ‘Tower Hop’. This can be achieved by garrisoning your unit into the Watch Tower, then building a Palisade Wall next to it, like the image below shows. Then blocking the bottom exit with the Villager you have been given. This will then cause your garrisoned unit to ungarrison on the opposite side of the Watch Tower when you eject it from the Watch Tower.

Three Kingdoms Cao Caos Ambition – Part 1 by PhillySouljah

I would rather betray all the people under the heavens than for all the people to betray me.

Cao Cao

Dong Zhuo’s death at Lu Bu’s hand has thrown China into chaos. Six warlords fight for China, all attempting to complete their own objectives to prove their right to rule. Can you complete your individual objectives before them, and claim your rightful place as ruler of China?

Struggle for Japan by hammister8159

Feudal Japan awaits you! Take control of one of five possible clans from the Sengoku Period and lead your samurai and ninjas to victory! In a gigantic scenario, you will experience an exciting journey through the world of medieval Japan and try out completely new, exciting gameplay features.

Are you inspired? Now it’s time to start downloading and get playing!

Let us know which Custom Campaigns you’ve enjoyed the most and please leave a recommendation for others to try!

June is often heralded as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, and our team at World’s Edge would like to reaffirm our support that gaming is for everyone. 

This year, Xbox Game Studios’ theme is “Pride has No Borders.” We do not know the full story of LGBTQIA+ persons throughout most of history. Lost records, evolving language, censorship, revisionism, and historical biases all add up, erasing many details about the lives of such persons, forming a metaphorical border of knowledge and visibility within history. Pride is meant to recognize, affirm, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ persons and cut through these borders which have shrouded and obscured such identities in the past.  

Age of Empires IV established the tagline “Make History Your Story” and so in celebration of Pride 2022, some of our staff and developers from around the world shared their stories about pride, allyship, and their experiences. 

We are the people who create the games you’ve grown to love, and we are proud to uplift and share these voices in their own words: 

Pride means that every day I choose the challenging game mode, where I say out loud who I am. Not just to honor those who fought before me, but also to support the others who remain hidden.

Araceli, IkoKnight (She/Her) – Forgotten Empires

I have been at World’s Edge for 3 years and have found it to be one of the more inclusive and diverse places I have worked with over the years. My husband also works in games, teaching programming and game design at a local school. To me, Pride is that last sentence never being erased or devalued, for it to exist and be celebrated for what it is: Love. Pride is standing up for all of the many facets of love.

Justin (He/Him) – World’s Edge

I grew up in Wisconsin and didn’t initially have much insight nor understanding of how my allyship would matter. Over the years living here in Washington, I learned how important it is to advocate to make the world a safer place for everyone — so recently, when I went to visit my family, I constantly referred to my male partner using those words (“my partner,”) which apparently raised questions about our orientations. I didn’t bother to correct this, and I’m hoping little steps like this can help normalize everyone’s choices, no matter who they are or whom they love.

Adrienne (She/Her) – World’s Edge 

 Working at Forgotten Empires is my first serious job experience and I am thrilled it is filled with open-minded and tender people. Everyone here is accepted exactly as they are. Living where I do, a place where there’s much to do to counter sexism and racism, it is great to have a place where one can be themselves.

Kristián Buryš (He/Him) – Forgotten Empires

Back in high school (right after the turn of the century) the first person to come out to me was a friend and classmate. We hung out a lot, so we knew each other. I was also the first person she told. I didn’t know at the time, but my accepting reaction encouraged her to take pride in who she is and tell more people. I think about that moment every time someone talks about pride. I think about the fear of being rejected, and just wanting to tell someone, to be accepted. I’ve had my fair share of rejection, and I know, along with the loneliness, how much it hurts. I don’t like to see people hurt. Taking that risk of telling others always presents other challenges, but the ones who really care will stick around and love you for who you are. Or at least, that’s what I’ve always tried to do. 

Kyle (He/Him) – World’s Edge

The World’s Edge team would also like to recognize and celebrate the members of the LGBTQIA+ community who tirelessly fought to bring our community to where we are today, including those who have been lost through the years, and those not yet ready to stand-out. We hope our messages of love and inclusion continue to light the way towards progress.

Do you have a Pride story you’d like to share? We would love to hear from our community, too! We’ve created a form to hear your stories and are interested in hearing people’s experiences for an additional Pride piece we have planned later in the month focusing on both Age fans and creators!

Show Your Pride!

Show your support with special-edition t-shirts, bags, and more – all created by and with the LGBTQIA+ community! PLUS there’s Age of Empires Pride gear too!

Starting TODAY, some of your favorite content creators are ready to show YOU an exclusive preview of the upcoming DLC for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – Knights of the Mediterranean.

Want to know more about the upcoming addition of the Italians and Maltese civilizations? Well, we have fantastic news for you: some of your favorite content creators have been granted early access to the Knights of the Mediterranean DLC, and you’ll be getting a sneak preview of the exclusive units, civilization bonuses and other new additions ahead of release!

Take a peek at the brand-new content, ask questions, and support your fellow Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition streamers and content creators below:

Pre-Order Now!

Ready to explore and battle it out with all the new things? Knights of the Mediterranean is available now to pre-order from the Microsoft Store and Steam!

Starting TODAY, some of your favorite content creators are ready to show YOU an exclusive preview of the upcoming DLC for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Dynasties of India.

Want to know more about the upcoming addition of the Bengalis, Dravidians and Gurjaras civilizations? Well, we have fantastic news for you: some of your favorite content creators have been granted early access to the Dynasties of India DLC, and you’ll be getting a sneak preview of the exclusive units, civilization bonuses and other new additions ahead of release!

Take a peek at the brand-new content, ask questions, and support your fellow Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition streamers and content creators below:

The Dynasties of India Content Creator Preview will provide you with plenty of information and excitement on the lead up to its launch. You can pre-order the Dynasties of India expansion now on the Microsoft Store or Steam.