'Age of Empires: Definitive Edition' delayed, to come out sometime in 2018 instead

Screenshot from the "Age of Empires: Definitive Edition" trailerYouTube/Windows

The "Age of Empires: Definitive Edition" was originally set to launch on Oct. 19. However, the developers of the game have decided to delay its release to early 2018. No specific dates regarding the release have been given yet, but on a blog post on the official website, they explained the reason for the delay.

The AGE team posted, "The challenge of re-releasing a classic is just that: it's a classic and it deserves to be treated with careful reverence. At the same time, in a living, thriving genre, norms continually evolve, technology advances, and player expectations change."

Currently, they are in the process of finding a balance between the two, of preserving the original while also giving old and new fans brand-new content and gameplay that are up to par with the real-time strategy games of today. In order to achieve that, the AGE team plans to spend more time testing "Age of Empires: Definitive Edition."

Players waiting on the release date will have a chance to help the AGE team test "Age of Empires: Definitive Edition" through the closed beta testing. The game's beta testing will continue until the game's launch date. The beta will help the AGE team run larger tests, and it will also give players the option to test the game for bugs before it becomes available for purchase.

The AGE team hopes that the closed beta will "allow for more in-depth testing across single player campaign, multiplayer balance, fine-tuning the lobby, etc."

To participate in the beta testing, players will need an Xbox Live account, and they also have to sign up for the Age of Empires Inside Program. Players who sign up for the program will receive updates on game development, and according the official website, will also have a chance to contribute to the development of the game through feedback and surveys.