Relic Entertainment and World"s Edge are readying another build of Age of Empires IV for public testing, and this time, almost anyone can jump in to try out the highly anticipated real-time strategy game. The large-scale test will only last a single weekend: Friday, September 17 through Monday, September 20th, with the festivities kicking off at 10AM PT.
To jump in, fans can either use the Windows 10 Microsoft Store"s Xbox Insider Hub app or Steam by requesting access to the Technical Stress Test on its store page. If the game"s minimum requirements are met, the invite should be on the way. Here are the hardware specs to meet:
- OS: Windows 10 – 64 bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6300U or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
- Memory: 8GB
- Graphics: Intel HD 520 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 11
- DirectX: Version 12
The "Mission Zero" tutorial and multiplayer custom lobbies against other players and AI are present in this build. As for factions, the English, the Chinese, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Abbasid Dynasty, along with five maps will be made available.
Previous beta participants will be happy to know the development team has made several changes to the game based on feedback, including a further zoom out distance for more visibility on screen, as well as balance tweaks for English and Chinese civilizations, and bug fixes.
Moreover, while the recent closed beta was very well received by the Age of Empires community, its strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA) largely kept the lid shut on expanded discussions and sharing footage. The latest test, however, will not be under any NDAs. The official Age of Empires forums are where testers can provide feedback on the latest build.