Age of Empires 4: Raiders of the North — Vikings & Scots Confirmed for Fall 2026

Two New Civilizations Unveiled at Xbox Games Showcase 2026

Microsoft and World’s Edge made one of the bigger strategy game announcements at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, 2026: Raiders of the North, the next major expansion for Age of Empires IV. The expansion brings two brand-new civilizations — the Vikings and the Scots — along with four new co-op Crucible missions and northern biomes.

• 2 new civilizations: Vikings and Scots, each with unique core mechanics
• Expanded Crucible mode: 4 new missions playable solo or in 2-player co-op
• PS5 debut: the first AoE IV expansion to launch on PlayStation 5
• Fall 2026: confirmed release window for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5

Table of Contents

• Vikings: Raids, Longhouses and Heroic Sagas
• Scots: Clan Warfare and Highland Resilience
• Crucible Mode: 4 New Co-op Missions
• Platforms and Release Date

Vikings: Raids, Longhouses and Heroic Sagas {#vikings}

The Vikings arrive as a mobile, raid-focused civilization built for aggressive early play. Their economy revolves around the Longhouse, a central building that boosts resource production in the early game. On the battlefield, fast infantry and early naval dominance let them press advantages from the first minutes.

The Vikings’ signature mechanic is the Sagas system: by achieving heroic deeds — ambush victories, razing enemy buildings, territorial conquests — your civilization unlocks permanent narrative bonuses that reward aggressive, mobile play. It’s a flavor-first system that fits the franchise’s historical storytelling approach perfectly.

Scots: Clan Warfare and Highland Resilience {#scots}

The Scottish civilization is built around internal clan fractures and resilience. Well-suited to difficult terrain, the Scots should excel on maps featuring dense forests and highland geography. Their Crucible missions center on a civil war between clans, delivering a more narrative experience than standard scenarios.

The expansion also introduces two new northern biomes inspired by the Highlands and northern coastlines, expanding the map pool for the entire game.

Crucible Mode: 4 New Co-op Missions {#crucible}

The Crucible mode gets 4 new missions themed around Raiders of the North — including Viking maritime raids and a Scottish clan fragmentation scenario. All four are playable in two-player co-op, with civilization-specific Objectives, Boons, Mutators, and Talent Tracks.

Relic Entertainment is clearly doubling down on Crucible as a semi-narrative, high-replayability mode that sits alongside competitive multiplayer.

Platforms and Release Date {#release}

Raiders of the North is expected in Fall 2026 (Q4 2026) on:

• PC: Steam and Microsoft Store
• Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
• PlayStation 5 — a first for any AoE IV expansion

No price has been announced yet. The expansion will be available as part of Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, already on all these platforms.

Get ready for Raiders of the North with our complete Age of Empires 4 civilization guide and our Yue Fei’s Legacy DLC breakdown.