Age of Empires IV ‘Anniversary Update’ announced: Release date, the Ottomans are back and more

Age of Empires IV is getting an Anniversary Update on October 25. And it’s not just the anniversary of the game; the entire Age of Empires franchise would turn 25 this October. Here are some of the key content updates the Anniversary Update would bring to the game.
New civilisations: The Ottomans and The Malians
The Age of Empires IV Anniversary update is a free content update for all those who own the base game and brings two new civilisations to the game: the Ottomans and the Malians. Now, those who have played Age of Empires 3 with the Ottomans would surely want to have some fun demolishing enemy camps and armies with the Great Bombard. And the mighty siege weapon will be included in the Ottoman firepower.
“Lead the mighty Malians of West Africa as one of the richest trading nations of all-time as you focus on strong economic prowess in mining and investing in gold. Or assemble one of the longest-lasting empires in history with the Ottoman civilization and its well-trained military force, which features the largest gunpowder siege weapon available – the Great Bombard.”, announced the Age of Empires team. Here is the trailer featuring the new civilisations.

New maps, Achievements and Masteries and more
The Anniversary update also brings new maps, Achievements and Masteries, plus the content announced for Season Three in the June 2022 roadmap.
The developers are also going to release a new Public Update Preview (PUP) for players next month, where they promise a “hands on experience” with the Ottomans, Malians and “loads of new content.”
Age of Empires IV is also free to play this week on Steam till August 29, so if you want to make a more informed decision when it comes to buying the game, it’s a good chance to check it out.