Play the Age of Empires 4 Stress test from Sept 17th - 20th
Surprisingly, Xbox Game Studios is inviting you to a beta weekend with the strategy game Age of Empires 4, which will be released on 28 October 2021. The Open Beta starts on 17 September and this is how you play along.
This came out of the blue like the rain of arrows from undiscovered attackers in strategy games: You will be able to try out Age of Empires 4 for free this coming weekend ahead of the launch next month. The Open Beta begins on Friday and all PC players can take part without having to wait for an invitation or a lucky draw.
When does the Age of Empires 4 Open Beta start and when does it end?
The AoE4 Open Beta starts on Steam this Friday. The slaughter on the virtual battlefields will not end until Monday - time enough to familiarise yourself with the strategy game.
Start of the Age of Empires 4 Beta: Friday, September 17th at 10am PDT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST
End of Age of Empires 4 Beta: Monday, September 20th at 10am PDT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST
How to sign up for the Age of Empires 4 Beta
Access to the beta will not be raffled off, because everyone can participate in this open beta. All you have to do is send out an access request to Xbox Game Studios on Steam.
Sign up for beta access on Steam: Open the product page of Age of Empires 4 on Steam and look for the box that says "Join the Age of Empires IV Technical Stress Test". There, click on the green "Request Access" button. In the next window, confirm the access request and you have registered for beta access. You should soon receive a confirmation email from Xbox Game Studios.
What's in the Open Beta?
This beta phase is a stress test. This means that it will be checked whether the servers can withstand the onslaught of AoE fans and guarantee a smooth gaming experience. That's why they want as many players as possible to take part in the beta test. Have fun in the lobbies and matchmaking! It is assumed that your PC system can keep up with the minimum requirements of Age of Empires 4. These are the minimum requirements needed for the beta:
- 64-bit processor
- OS: Windows 10 - 64 bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6300U or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
- Memory: 8 GB
- Graphics: Intel HD 520 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 11
- DirectX: Version 12
If your PC meets these requirements, you can expect multiplayer content from Age of Empires 4 in the open beta. But that's not all: you can also play the tutorial, Mission Zero, and if you create an private custom lobby, you can choose to play against AI-controlled opponents. You can fight with four civilisations on five different maps: England, China, the Holy Roman Empire and the Abbasid Dynasty.
Pre-order Age of Empires 4 on Gamesplanet and get bonuses!
Age of Empires 4 launches on October 28th. Pre-order the game today from Gamesplanet to get your key now so you'll be ready for battle at launch. Pre-order your Age of Empires 4 Steam key on Gamesplanet with the Standard Edition or Deluxe Edition and receive the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition "Dawn of the Dukes" expansion as a free bonus after your purchase*.
*The expansion bonus requires the full version of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, sold separately.
