# Age of Empires 5 speculation

**URL:** <https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/age-of-empires-5-speculation/283965>\
**Category:** IV - Discussion\
**Created:** [February 11, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/age-of-empires-5-speculation/283965 "2026-02-11T13:17:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 49

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**Author:** ![MadMax8915](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/madmax8915/32/158089_2.png) [@MadMax8915](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/MadMax8915)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 5:33pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/age-of-empires-5-speculation/283965/49 "2026-02-14T17:33:24Z")

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> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> Agree to disagree again 😃

As far as I’m concerned, you can disagree forever.

Your only intention is to disagree, since a few weeks ago, in another topic, you even changed the meaning of a “Term” just to disagree… And I had to seek out a professional in the field to show you that you were forcing a situation to the point of changing the meaning of the term. So I can no longer trust you after that point.

Regarding the errors in unit development and animation flaws in AoE4… these are real facts. This didn’t happen on the same scale in games like Company of Heroes and Dawn of War.

We may have differences regarding the engine change, but other things are obvious; just open your eyes and see.

But it’s clear you’re pretending not to see what I’ve reported about the flaws.  
And you keep disagreeing, thinking everything is perfect.

You fall into one of these two categories below:

- You’re dating or married to a developer, so if you say something bad about the game, when you get home, she’ll scold you.
- Or…
- You love Age of Empires IV excessively and ignore any flaws or slip-ups in the game, pretending they never happened and that they still do.

* * *

> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> An opinion is not, and can never be, fact.

My opinion isn’t just my own.

I’m reporting facts, not just stating my own opinion.

Look at the errors, I didn’t invent these errors, they existed and some still exist (the list of errors is longer, but it’s boring for me to keep listing each thing, that’s enough to understand):

> [@Improving Age of Empires IV Section 1: Graphics, animations, and physics](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/improving-age-of-empires-iv-section-1-graphics-animations-and-physics/283424/48):
>
> The arrow was following a straight trajectory (It seemed more like a gunshot than an arrow, because no matter the distance, it traveled in a straight line.). But they managed to adjust it for a more realistic effect

> [@MadMax8915](#):
>
> - Elephants didn’t have a visible and decent animation for melee combat. The animation was added much later.
> - The Crossbowman and Handcannoner didn’t have reloading animations. After a long time, it was added.
> - The “Bombard” cannon, when packaged, didn’t have wheels; it floated or slid across the map. Later, wheels were added so it could move.
> - There was a warrior, I don’t remember his name now, who would strike with his sword using the opposite side. The non-cutting side. And they only fixed it later.
> - There was another warrior, “Limitanei,” who has a horrible texture error on his head, totally crumpled and crooked. I don’t know if they fixed that one, but I believe they did.  
> And so it goes,
> 
> Another problem,  
> The game is still “broken” in terms of its compatibility or stability.
> 
> The game closes or freezes or shows a black screen for several people, but nothing happens to others.
> 
> Here in my region, 6 friends abandoned the game in the last two years. And why? Because they can’t play private matches with friends… This error has happened to each of them, which shows that it wasn’t a problem for just one person.
> 
> This error only happens with AoE4. This error doesn’t appear in any other game or any other Age of Empires.
> 
> The strangest thing is that if you play ALONE, the error doesn’t appear. However, in private/custom matches with friends, it will happen occasionally.

You can pretend that none of this ever happened.  
But anyone who has played since launch knows this.

I repeat, I haven’t seen this happening with the Company of Heroes and Dawn of War series games.  
Generally, the problems with these other games are more related to balancing and changes in mechanics that alter the gameplay from one title to another, which generates some differences of opinion.

* * *

> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> I’ve modded the Essence Engine for years. The lack of investment in the tools aside, it’s a very powerful thing, in my opinion 🙂

Yes, I agree with that part.

The Essence Engine is incredibly realistic, given its level of efficiency in the Company of Heroes series and its evolution in Dawn of War.

However, it behaves differently in AoE4.

Just look at the machine operators in Company of Heroes, who are extremely realistic, but were “deleted” in Age of Empires 4 because they were difficult for them to perform at that time. At the same time, the firing and explosion effects, which in Company of Heroes, in addition to physics, are extremely realistic, something that was left aside in AoE4.

Important to highlight.  
There’s also the graphical issue.

AoE4 doesn’t utilize the full potential of the Essence Engine, as I’ve already mentioned regarding the effects and animations of the siege engines; however, this also applies to the game as a whole: overall graphics and modeling.

Everyone should already know that originally, Age of Empires IV was intended to be closer to the quality level seen in the Company of Heroes series… however, they decided to completely change the game’s design to what we have today.

Photos below of the first realistic models from AoE4:

 ![AoE4-002](https://forums.ageofempires.com/uploads/default/original/3X/8/4/842cc5440944c90d0b2835719e88b8b4195f0b10.jpeg)  
 ![AoE4-003](https://forums.ageofempires.com/uploads/default/original/3X/1/b/1bb865987a04fbf019e0de95a868cd9c2407ced6.jpeg)  
 ![IMG20220717144150](https://forums.ageofempires.com/uploads/default/original/3X/c/9/c9c2495660d0af51edddf28835112c974ebf812c.jpeg)  
 ![IMG20220717143930](https://forums.ageofempires.com/uploads/default/original/3X/b/7/b732534726601f34359f8ae8d8df37741ccc9bef.jpeg)

* * *

> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> They released DoW III in a much more polished state, and that game didn’t do well at all.

You don’t know the real reason for Dawn of War 3’s failure.  
It’s not because the Essence Engine was more “refined” and “improved” that the game failed.

The reason for the failure was mainly these 3 points:

- Mixing MOBA elements with RTS
- Completely removing the tactical cover style seen in their other games.
- Artistic style, too colorful for the vast majority of conservative players.

* * *

> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> There’s nothing wrong with Essence. It’s undergone repeated evolutionary leaps. Relic _have_ engine programmers (which is a highly sought-after role).

That’s not entirely true, in every sense.  
The problems seen in Age of Empires 4 didn’t happen in Relic’s games. Not on the same scale of failures.

I once read something that suggests Age of Empires 4 used a modified version of the Essence Engine, perhaps there was some problem in that area. Since for Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, it works perfectly without strange errors and never had modeling and animation problems.

Another important thing… this Essence Engine is LIMITING!

It may be perfect for micro combat! But that doesn’t mean it performs well in all types of situations.

## Look at this:

### Dawn of War 4! This game ABANDONED the Essence Engine.

### For the first time in history, Dawn of War will not use the Essence Engine!

**Research the reason behind this and you will find the answer!**

* * *

> [@GorbMort](#):
>
> All they need is the time to invest that experience properly.

Yes, I agree.  
If they are going to do what they were supposed to do with the first official design for Age of Empires IV (and don’t abandon it), something focused 100% on realism like the Company of Heroes and Dawn of War series of games, where the feeling of war and combat immersion matters.

They should use a well-updated, correct, and reliable version of the Essence Engine, without repeating the instability and compatibility flaws of AoE4. Since these flaws practically don’t exist in Relic games (my friends and I have never had problems with Relic games, nothing that prevented us from playing in peace).

* * *

### I will no longer respond to you in this thread.

### Everything has been answered, and more than once.

I will play my games peacefully with my friends in the coming days.

If you want to disagree for random reasons and ignore the facts, that’s your conscience.

### What I REALLY want to see in Age of Empires 5:

- I want an AoE5 DIFFERENT from AoE4.
- I want something more realistic, detailed, immersive, with visual and physics impact!
- With a better Cooperative system, also included for Campaigns (I want campaigns with friends).
- Better AI, with various levels of customization.
- Better stability and compatibility! No more idiotic errors and random crashes during matches.
- Anything that might hinder the future development of DLCs, such as excessive audio packs as reported by “Age of Noob” and seen by “BeastyqtSC2,” where both agree on the excess in AoE4, should be considered. A balance must be found, something that doesn’t hinder or harm the future development of content.

Anyway, I hope for the BEST for AoE5!

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