I was thinking about the Viking civilization. I see it a bit problematic naming it that way, especially the way it was done in Aoe2. This because the “Viking Era” was from ca 850-1050 and the Aoe2 game stretched beoynd for 500 years more. Therefore I think that a more suitable name would be either “Kalmar union” or simply “Scandinavia”.
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Hi @Sinquillia, There has been no Viking civilization announced for Age of Empires IV. Are you simply making a recommendation if this civilization is considered?
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Yeah sorry. I simply just assumed that the previously voted civilizations would be the ones in game, especially the “Vikings” as it was one of the most wanted civilizations.
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Nevertheless. If it would come into Aoe4, it would be nice if the “most” historic accuracy would be represented. Simply because many of us learn history from the AoE franchise.
Yes, but people are also attracted by the term “viking”, it’s like a brand. There is a fine line between accuracy and entertainment in video games. This is not a documentary or history dissertation after all. People want to play with vikings because it sounds cool first and foremost.
It’s pretty much the same when companies stick with the brand-like term “vampire” and not the actual historical Romanian name for the myth “strigoi” or Greek “vrykolakas”. You’re not going to attract wide audience if you go too specific, you have to play it a bit smart.
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They could of course make a ‘the vikings are coming!’ announcement trailer and then tell in the trailer how they are actually called
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I agree with you that there are better naming than Vikings. Kalmarunionen was not created until 1397. Therefore I think just calling them Norsemen would be more suitable.
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Would be a fun Civ. Maybe an idea would be having a strong powerfull early-mid game, with a slight flal of in the late game, considering powder started rolling in. Unless they transition inton the Sweds…could also be an interesting idea.
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Ive had the exactly same thoughts!
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You can see a viking-looking town center in the making of video, so people are expecting it. It might be a more generic Germanic civ though, or even the early Rus.
The viking age is year 400 something to year 1200 something, not the aforementioned.
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The thing with periodization is that no one can say the “truth”, its all about definition.
The definition of the “Viking age” or as we swedes call it “Vikingatiden” differs a bit from the westoriented Vikings of Denmark and Norway (which “start” their Viking Age with the raiding of Lindisfarne 793). We swedes usually start “our” viking age with the foundation of the Rurik dynasty and the Nestor chronicles.
This is due to that these are the earliest sources of vikings coming from the north (or anywhere else). We cant say that there were Vikings any earlier, thats why it starts there).
The ending of the Viking age is almost definite to the defeat of Harald Hardraade and Harald Goodwinsson. This correlated with the christinaization of the nordic countries which started around 950 and was almost complete by 1050.
TLDR; You cant say for sure that the Viking age was between this and that date because it is a liquid periodization and a case for definition. But the consensus of the historical disciplines of the Nordic universities is that the Vining age started in the 8th and 9th centuries (750-850) and ended in the 11th century (1066).
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I like the term “Scandinavia” 
For a people you would just say “Norse”
Vikings were simply the Norse who ventured out to raid and colonize other bits
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Doesn’t need to be announced, the Vikings are mentioned in the preview for the Normandy Campaign and we see Viking architecture in the behind the scenes.
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There may well be some Viking stuff in the English campaign, but they’re not one of the eight civs.
I think they should just be called “Norsemen” or as you said 'Scandinavia" and they should just have units called Vikings that you can use.
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I think Vikings is the best word to use. Everyone thinks about the same meaning when they see this word. So it means it does what it’s meant to, convey a concept.
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There were no Vikings after 11th century. Too limiting.
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The vikings will just be an NPC civilization in the campaign from what we can tell based on released information. Like the Knights of St. John in AoE3, except an enemy civ.
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