My most desired civ is the Khmer. Southeast Asian culture feels like the most conspicuous absence in the game right now, at least to me. There are also loads of historical and cultural aspects to their civilization that would translate into fun game mechanics.
Realistically, the devs must be aware of which potential civs are actually popular among their player base. Between Spain and Aztecs, Spain feels a little bit more likely. I predict that the new expansion will be themed around Europe in general. I’d love to be surprised though.
Yes, if the new expansion is about Vikings, we could see the Vikings, but also Viking variants like the Normans and the Sicilians, and as enemies, Anglo-Saxon England… with that, it’s like 4 civilizations like DotE…
In every case they would need to be a Persian variant, as that was their main base of power, i don’t see Timurids getting added without adding the Persians first.
Maybe the DLC name will be related to the other civilization. The last two DLCs had thematic names:
Knights of Rose and Cross: It rhymed well!!! And by referring to knights, it was understood that they were civilizations of European knights.
Dynasties of the East: Besides the Asian civilizations, there was one from Eastern Europe.
If they’re going to include Vikings, maybe I’ll call it something like “Warriors of the North” or… no, I’m keeping other titles to myself; I want it to be a surprise.
So, what characteristic would the Vikings share with another civilization to include in the title, even if it’s a rhyme? If that’s the case, I doubt they’ll include Khmer, because it would be something like:
- "Elephants and Bears warriors???
Hehehe, nah, it could actually be anything, as long as they choose a good name.
Yes, how could we forget the Byzantine and Japanese sultanates? It would have made more sense if they only released the Ayyubids and Templars instead of Joan of Arc in that DLC… or at the very least, Byzantines and Macedonians alongside the Ayyubids and Templars… and moved the Japanese to DotE and released them alongside the Sengoku Daimyo, Tughlaq Dynasty, and the Golden Horde. Befote that, in KoCaR, it would be the House of Lancaster, and instead of Joan of Arc, it would be the Duchy of Orleans (1344-1589), then, in addition to Joan of Arc, you could include Italian mercenary units that served Louis XII, Francis I, and Henry II in the Italian Wars…
Yes, that’s why I said “the latest DLCs”, not counting the first one from 2023 (Sultans ascend), which was very good, but the name didn’t clearly indicate the content they released.
So? how can you be so sure they will do coherent naming in the Future when they seemingly don’t care? Who in a million years would have included “Japanese” in a pay-walled DLC called “Sultans” if they cared?
Swap Byzantines and Japanese release with Malians and Ottomans and it would make sense, but they did not.
Like i said, the names since 2025 are better suited with the content they release.
I suppose since the problems of 2023 with the first 4 variants and even the “names changed” (JADE EMPIRE and SULTAN ARMY), they should have changed their distributor or brand name team, maybe since Forgotten and others AoE Team make collaborations with them.
Yeah, but people coming into the game will still say “what the fuck is this going on inside this paid DLC?”, where from 7 pieces of content (6 “civs” + 1 campaign) only 2 of them match the name theme.
Yes, that’s true… if the anniversary edition had been released with Byzantines and Japanese, and instead, with TSA, they released the Malian and Ottoman civilizations, it would have made more sense (although the Malian Empire wasn’t a sultanate per se like the Ottoman Empire, but both were Islamic empires)…
I’ve been doing a lot of reading to include the Persians, but well, there are many things to consider:
Short Answer: The Iranian Intermezzo.
About the Persians for AoE4
The thing about the Persians is that we know more about the Achaemenid Persian Empire, which interacted with the Hebrew people and the Greeks in the famous wars of Persia-Sparta-Athens; or the Sasanids, who managed to create a resistance against Rome and lasted until 600 AD, when they were conquered by the Islamic Rashidun Caliphate.
And it might seem that the Islamic rulers governed the entire region during the Middle Ages… but that´s not the case:
During the Middle Ages, there was a period called the Iranian Intermezzo, which began when the Abbasid Dynasty gave the region of Iran as a vassal territory to the Tahirid Dynasty. Then came a Saffarid takeover, attempting to revive the Persian costumes and tradition and starting a war aggainst the caliphate.
From then on, several dynasties began to emerge in the iranian region, rebelling against Arab rule and creating their own temporary kingdoms, which later evolved into dynasties and even empires when they controlled a significant portion of the territory.
Regarding the end of the Intermezzo, many consider it to be when the Seljuk Turkic rule began, although the Ghaznavids continued to dominate much of the territory, and then the Khwarazmians came to found the short-lived Khwarazmian Empire (1170–1222).
I feel that instead of just including one of the smaller kingdoms, it could be called: Iranian Intermezzo, and have a template to progress through the ages with several of the kingdoms, or represent them in general.
Unique units: Daylamite warrior, Daylamite skirmisher, Turkish horse archer, Ghulam Cavalry, Persian War Elephant.
Then, with the Persian architecture obtained, we can create Timurid Empire (1370–1507) and Saffavid Dynasty (1501-1736) variants.
Two New Civilizations – Vikings and Scots, each with distinct systems and evolving playstyles, as well as new architecture, masteries, music and VO
[…]
The Scots: Strength Through Endurance
The Scots bring strength defined by resilience and control. Built to endure, they thrive in prolonged battles and reward players who can hold the line. Their civilization is defined by disciplined infantry, fortified defenses, and a deep connection to their land.
Their economy thrives through Highland cattle, creating a steady and reliable food source that supports sustained military production. Tower houses and grand castles anchor their territory, forcing opponents to commit fully to every advance.
The Mustering Hall allows Scots players to define their approach. Lean into the resilience of Highland warriors or the structured strength of Lowland forces. This flexibility rewards thoughtful positioning, timing, and control of the battlefield.
