Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is set to expand with a new DLC titled The Three Kingdoms, which is scheduled for release on May 6, 2025. This upcoming expansion marks the game’s fifth downloadable content pack and is inspired by the historically rich and romanticized period of third-century China.
Players can currently take advantage of a pre-order option that offers a 15% discount. The Three Kingdoms will introduce five new civilizations: Shu, Wei, Wu, Jurchens, and Khitans.
Alongside these, the expansion will add six new units and three additional campaigns, enhancing the gameplay experience for fans of Age of Empires 2: DE. The new units will include heavily armored Hei Guang Cavalry, Traction Trebuchets, which are mobile siege engines, and the formidable Lou Chuans, known as “floating fortresses.”
Additionally, players will find Dragon Ships, Fire Lancers, and Rocket Carts among the new units. The campaigns in The Three Kingdoms will focus on the individual civilizations, featuring narratives filled with war and intrigue.
The campaigns are titled Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and The Sun Clan, each immersing players in the stories and struggles of Shu, Wu, and Wei, respectively. After its launch, The Three Kingdoms will be priced at $19.99.
For those looking to dive into the Age of Empires universe, PlayStation users can pre-order the expansion along with the $99.99 Premium Edition of the PS5 port. Furthermore, a significant base game update is anticipated before the end of April 2025, promising enhancements such as improved castle graphics, updates to the technology tree UI, balancing changes, new maps, and support for random map scripting.