Microsoft leveraging PC gaming through Ages of Empires IV

Ages of Empires IV is set to be released on Thursday. It is a strategy game set in medieval times. Players in the game take control of the Holy Roman Empire or the Islamic Abbasids caliphate with the aim of taking over the world. 

The game has received positive reviews from fanatics, with an average of Metacritic. Thus, placing Ages of Empires IV at the helm of the top 10 new PC games. The game is available to both Xbox and PC users. Xbox’s availability and affordability is limited to the chosen few. Creating a PC version of the game expanded and extended its reach to countries like China and South Korea. 

Microsoft capitalizes on PC games

Microsoft benefits from PC games in several ways. For instance, PC games encourage and increase the demand for high-end computers. Gamers opt for these kinds of computers because of the compatibility of the game, visuals and smooth gameplay. 

Majority of the console games are available for purchase on Steam. Steam is the most popular PC game store, it has shifted its focus from making console sales to subscription services that work across PC, mobile devices and consoles.

Majority of the Xbox games were initially computer games, for instance Minecraft and PUBG. Microsoft launched a new Flight Simulator last year, the first one in 14 years. According to Metacritic, it was rated the third-best game in 2020. The Xbox Series X also got a version of the game about three months ago. 

Sony also has plans underway to implement the same strategy Microsoft used. They are planning to get a couple of the Playstation games to the PC.

PC gameplay

However, the Age of Empires IV and Flight Simulator gameplay was specifically tailored for PC gamers. Microsoft acknowledges that PC and console gamers have different wants and needs. Regardless, it is important for Microsoft to ensure that they are able to provide a quality and worthwhile experience to PC gamers as they do to console gamers.

Microsoft’s debut in the game industry dates back to 1982, this is when they released the original Flight Simulator. It was on a floppy disk.

Over the past decade, Microsoft has dedicated most of its time farming out Age of Empires (mobile versions) to studio masters. However, some of the fans and gamers are still stuck on the previous versions. This has seen people joining forces with the aim of recreating the experience and interactions that they had with the game at the onset. 

Microsoft later formed a Community Council where they assembled a group of veteran players and die hard fans of the game. The Community Council now has 109 members. Their input helped Relic  to include naval combat and enhance the functionality of in-game buttons simpler. 

The Age of Empires now comes with a fully mobile civilization, the Mongols. The feature allows gamers to pick and move everything. 

What are your expectations of the Ages of Empires IV? Let us know in the comment section below.