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

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

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

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.

Age of Empires 4 Yue Fei's Legacy: Complete Jin Dynasty Guide

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Yue Fei’s Legacy — A New Strategic Chapter for AoE4

Released on May 7, 2026 on Steam, Microsoft Store, Xbox, and PlayStation 5, Age of Empires 4: Yue Fei’s Legacy is the most ambitious DLC World’s Edge Studio has delivered since Dynasties of the East. It brings a brand-new civilization — the Jin Dynasty — along with an eight-mission campaign, two new biomes, and four new maps. Here is everything you need to know to command this iron-and-gunpowder powerhouse.

DLC: Yue Fei’s Legacy — available on Steam, Microsoft Store, Xbox, PS5
New civilization: Jin Dynasty (cavalry + gunpowder siege)
Campaign: 8 missions set during the 12th-century Song-Jin Wars
Bonus content: 4 maps + 2 biomes (available to all players)

Campaign: Yue Fei vs. the Jin Invaders
Jin Dynasty: Strengths and Weaknesses
Unique Jin Units: Tactical Guide
Mobile Economy: Mounted Villagers and Emissaries
New Maps and Biomes
Verdict

Campaign — Yue Fei, Legendary General of Medieval China {#h-campaign}

The campaign unfolds during the 12th-century Song-Jin Wars. You follow General Yue Fei, one of medieval China’s most celebrated military figures, and Admiral Han Shizhong, commander of the Song naval forces. The goal: protect the Song Dynasty’s heir from Jin invaders pushing down from the north.

Across eight well-paced missions, the story alternates between open-field offensives, key position defenses, and naval battles on major rivers. World’s Edge Studio put real care into the presentation: animated historical illustrations, Mandarin voice acting, and period documents woven into cutscenes. It is the most narrative campaign AoE4 has ever offered.

Difficulty scaling is well done — veterans will find a real challenge on Hard, while newcomers can progress comfortably on Normal thanks to generous checkpoints.

Jin Dynasty — Iron, Gunpowder, and Cavalry {#h-jin-dynasty}

Historically descended from the Jurchen people of Manchuria, the Jin Dynasty plays unlike any base-game civilization: a hyper-mobile nomadic economy paired with fast-striking cavalry and gunpowder siege machines.

Their tactical philosophy: expand fast, secure resources before your opponent, then crush with elite cavalry-gunpowder combinations.

Strengths:

Mounted Villagers: move twice as fast as standard villagers
Emissaries: generate passive gold income via Tributary States
Meng’an Mouke keeps: autonomous fortifications that train units without micromanagement
Some of the strongest heavy cavalry in the game
Versatile gunpowder artillery (ranged + area damage)

Weaknesses:

High resource cost for elite units
Less effective against dense defensive infantry blocks
Steeper learning curve than most civilizations

Unique Jin Units: Tactical Guide {#h-units}

Four exclusive units define the Jin Dynasty’s military identity:

Iron Pagoda The Jin’s signature heavy cavalry. Exceptionally durable, it tears through light infantry and archers. Its charge ability deals bonus damage at the start of an engagement. Counter with spearmen and anti-cavalry weapons.

Mounted Grenadiers Cavalry equipped with gunpowder weapons capable of attacking at range while remaining in motion. Ideal for harassing static enemy lines and destroying grouped archers. Fragile in direct melee — never expose them without an escort.

Eruptors Infantry wielding fire lances that project burning oil. Devastating against buildings and slow-moving formations. Their short range leaves them exposed in open terrain.

Bed Crossbow Long-range siege weapon. Perfect for holding chokepoints or dismantling enemy fortifications at a safe distance. Slow and cumbersome — protect it at all times.

Mobile Economy — The Jin’s Core Advantage {#h-economy}

The Jin Dynasty’s economic system is its defining feature. Mounted Villagers move twice as fast as standard ones, enabling you to reach exposed resources before your opponent and reposition your economy as the front shifts throughout the game.

Emissaries can be dispatched to neutral villages to establish Tributary States: once set up, these positions generate a passive gold income without requiring additional buildings. A mechanic that rewards active territorial control.

Meng’an Mouke keeps — an advanced variant of the watchtower — can autonomously produce units, freeing you from micromanaging flanks so you can focus on directing the main battle. A meaningful difference in multi-front scenarios.

New Maps and Biomes {#h-maps}

The DLC includes four new maps designed to showcase the Jin Dynasty’s strengths and evoke northern Chinese geography: navigable rivers, open steppes that favor cavalry, and mountain passes ideal for Bed Crossbows. All maps are available in skirmish and multiplayer.

Two new biomes — snowy steppe and fertile plain — enhance the visual experience of every match, even for players who have not purchased the DLC. A genuinely generous addition.

Verdict — A Solid DLC Still Finding Its Footing {#h-verdict}

At launch, Yue Fei’s Legacy sat at 51% positive reviews on Steam across roughly 170 ratings. Most criticism centers on value for money compared to Dynasties of the East. That debate is fair.

That said, for players seeking a technically distinct and narratively rich civilization, the Jin Dynasty is one of the most original additions AoE4 has ever received. Its mobile economy and cavalry-gunpowder combinations unlock a genuinely new way to play. The campaign, well-built and historically grounded, is enough on its own to justify the purchase for solo players.

To deepen your understanding of all available civilizations, check out our complete Age of Empires 4 civilization guide.

Age Of Empires 4 — After Strategy