Dear Age of Empires development team and all forum players:
First of all, thank you to the teams behind the Age of Empires franchise and Age of Mythology: Retold. The official release of the Aztec civilization has not only breathed new life into this classic mythological RTS, but also shown the studio’s bold embrace and exquisite craftsmanship for non-traditional historical settings. From the legends of the Feathered Serpent to the radiance of the Sun Altar, the Aztecs’ unique divine mechanics and visual aesthetics once again prove the boundless potential of the Age of Empires series beyond recorded history.
It is this very potential that inspires me to share a bold vision many longtime fans have imagined:
Age of Empires stands firm on historical foundations, and Age of Mythology thrives in the realm of legend. So why should there not be a dedicated star-filled frontier for a sci-fi chapter of this legendary franchise?
Today, I would like to present a fully realized fan concept for a futuristic, sci-fi entry in the series — Age of Planets.
I. Core Civilization & Faction Roster
Upholding the series’ core design philosophy rooted in real-world cultures and regions, Age of Planets features distinct regional civilizations reimagined within a futuristic sci-fi setting:
1. United Federation (North America)
2. Holy Europa Alliance (Western Europe)
3. Slavia (Russia)
4. Latin Concord (South America)
5. African Commonwealth (Africa)
6. Oceanic Republic (Australia & New Zealand)
7. Crescent Sultanate (Middle East)
8. Bharata (India)
9. Yamato (Japan)
10. Shenzhou (China)
II. Era Progression System
Departing from traditional historical advancement, Age of Planets centers its era upgrades on contact with extraterrestrial and ancient non-human civilizations. Five distinct eras await; all factions encounter the same cosmic and ancient races at each stage, yet receive unique bonuses, exclusive technologies, and specialized units tailored to their cultural traits. This design vastly expands replayability and strategic depth.
1. Era 1: Information Age
The starting era focused on digital-era infrastructure, basic resource gathering, and standard infantry forces to establish early-game development.
2. Era 2: Sentinel Age
Unlocked through contact with five prehistoric subterranean civilizations: the aquatic Atlantean Merfolk, the lost continent of Mu, Lemuria, the sky-bound Anunnaki, and the subterranean Shambhala Reptilians. Unlocks mechanized units, air forces, and modern naval fleets, introducing multi-dimensional combined warfare.
3. Era 3: Transcendent Age
Unlocked through contact with inner Solar System civilizations of Mars, Venus, the Lunar Realm, Ceres, and Europa. Advanced mechs and augmented bio-soldiers become available, bringing full technological evolution to frontline combat.
4. Era 4: Planetary Age
Unlocked through first contact with galactic extraterrestrials: Draco Reptilians, Sirians, Zeta Reticuli Greys, Lyraans, and Orion Serpentids. Psionic superhuman units are unlocked, adding an entirely new tactical dimension to warfare.
5. Era 5: Cosmic Age
A roguelite-style final evolution requiring the construction of the world wonder — the Astral Beacon. Contact the Andromeda Galaxy civilizations to gain randomized global buffs, variable alien ally support, endgame capital starships, and planet-scale superweapons that grant cosmic-level strategic dominance.
III. Unit Classification Framework
Aligned with the sci-fi setting, all military units are divided into five counter-based categories for layered tactical synergy:
1. Human Troops: Basic frontline infantry, the backbone of early-game combat for all factions.
2. Mech Corps: Armored vehicles, combat mechs, aerospace fighters and orbital warships, specializing in heavy firepower and high armor.
3. Bio-Augmented Units: Genetically modified and cybernetically enhanced warriors with unique passive and active combat abilities.
4. Xenomorph & Extraterrestrial Warriors: Exclusive units unlocked through cross-species contact across eras, featuring otherworldly combat capabilities.
5. Psionics: Elite special units unlocked in the Planetary Age, wielding supernatural abilities beyond conventional weaponry.
IV. Resource Economy System
Retaining the iconic three-resource core loop of Age of Empires, classic resources are rethemed for a futuristic setting, with an exclusive rare resource added for advanced xenofaction production:
Core Resources (Classic Equivalents)
1. Minerals: Ores including gold, silver, copper and iron — equivalent to Gold
2. Liquid Fuels: Petroleum and refined hydrocarbons — equivalent to Food
3. Gaseous Elements: Natural gas and stellar atmospheric gases — equivalent to Wood
Unique Resource — Psionic Energy
A rare specialized resource required to produce extraterrestrial and anomalous units. Each faction possesses unique acquisition methods, including resource conversion, dedicated extraction structures, and bio-energy harvesting. Divergent economic pathways further highlight faction identity and strategic diversity.
V. Worldbuilding & Campaign Synopsis
Though rooted in hard sci-fi, Age of Planets preserves the series’ signature focus on terrestrial civilization conflict. The primary theater remains Earth, rather than endless deep-space combat, centering on geopolitical rivalry between future human superpowers and their fateful encounters with ancient terrestrial and cosmic alien races. This retains the franchise’s soul of civilization-driven storytelling while expanding RTS gameplay into unprecedented futuristic territory.
Campaign Chapters
Chapter 1: Global Blaze
In the far future, border skirmishes between the Holy Europa Alliance and Slavia escalate into full-scale war. Global nations divide into opposing blocs, igniting a second world war that engulfs humanity.
Chapter 2: The Subterranean Hand
Prolonged conflict leaves all sides exhausted. Investigations uncover a horrifying truth: the war was orchestrated by the Aryan Imperium, a secret underground regime forged by surviving Nazi remnants hidden beneath Antarctica. Their goal was to deplete surface civilization through endless warfare and seize control of a broken post-war Earth. When their scheme is exposed, the Aryan Imperium deploys ancient subterranean technology to launch a massive underground invasion, pushing global forces into retreat.
Chapter 3: New Dawn
Faced with extinction, fractured human nations unite as a new global alliance. While seeking the power of forgotten ancient civilizations, they accidentally awaken the long-dormant Martian civilization. Haunted by the destruction of their homeworld, the Martians choose to intervene and aid humanity, turning the tide of the war.
Chapter 4: Abyss Gate
Pressed into decline by Martian intervention, the Aryan Imperium takes desperate measures. They activate ancient alien teleportation gates and forge pacts with hostile galactic powers: the Orion Collective and the Zeta Reticuli species. With extraterrestrial allies, they once again overwhelm the united human alliance and escalate the war to interstellar heights.
Chapter 5: Light of the Astral Beacon
As civilization teeters on collapse, the alliance revives the ancient Ceres civilization with Martian assistance. The Ceres people once attempted to construct an Astral Beacon to communicate with their creators from the Andromeda Galaxy, only to trigger a cataclysm that shattered their homeworld into the modern asteroid belt. Using recovered Ceres technology, humanity rebuilds the Astral Beacon and establishes contact with Andromeda. With the overwhelming support of Andromeda’s advanced civilizations, the alliance defeats the Aryan Imperium and its alien cohorts, ushering Earth into a new interstellar era.
VI. Why We Need Age of Planets
The enduring greatness of Age of Empires lies in its ability to depict the evolution of human civilization through the language of RTS gaming.
We have witnessed ancient battlefields across history and divine clashes upon mythic peaks. Beyond history and mythology, science fiction stands as the most natural next chapter for civilization storytelling.
Now, it is time for humanity’s banners to rise among the stars.
We firmly believe Age of Planets could become the third core pillar alongside Age of Empires and Age of Mythology, carrying the series’ legacy of conflict, progress and glory toward humanity’s final and most breathtaking frontier — the boundless sea of stars.
We welcome feedback from every member of the player community, and earnestly hope the development team will recognize the passion and vision fans hold for a stellar Age of Empires experience. Perhaps one day, within the iconic AoE engine, we will command Sirian warriors fighting alongside human soldiers, and watch the light of the Astral Beacon pierce the swirling nebulas of Andromeda.
“We are not aiming to create a ‘StarCraft’; we are striving to craft a sci-fi epic that carries the profound historical depth and sense of civilizational evolution seen in ‘Age of Empires’.”
Final Note:
This entire concept is born from years of love for the Age of Empires franchise, drafted and refined with auxiliary AI tools for clarity and presentation. Created primarily for community discussion and fan sharing, this is an unofficial fan proposal meant to share a heartfelt vision for a sci-fi Age of Empires title. Imperfections and oversights may be present, and all constructive discussion and collaborative improvement are warmly welcomed.