Source: Microsoft The standout news? Age of Empires 4 is expected to launch later this year. And while it certainly has a bevy of new tricks to show off, it's still most certainly an Age of Empires game both in style and play. A few days after an advance preview I was able to sit down with World's Edge Senior Executive Producer Michael Mann, Relic Entertainment Game Director Quinn Duffy, and Relic Entertainment Art Director Zach Schläppi for a more direct conversation about what we can expect from Age of Empires 4. A true successor to Age of Empires 2 One of the overarching themes pulled from the preview event and following Q&A session is that Age of Empires 4 isn't attempting to reinvent the RTS genre. More specifically, the new game was referred to as "a spiritual successor to Age 2" by Game Director Quinn Duffy. Resources, including wood, food, gold, and stone look the same, and the ages begin with Dark and end with Imperial. Going deeper, core gameplay should also seem familiar to those who have played Age 2.