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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →On November 14, 2024, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition marked five years since launch with three DLCs included for new game purchases and automatically gifted to existing owners who lacked them. The anniversary announcement named Steam, Microsoft Store, and Xbox owners, but did not say whether players using Game Pass without owning the game qualified for the gift.
Which DLCs were included in the anniversary offer?
The three packs were Lords of the West, Dawn of the Dukes, and Dynasties of India. The Age of Empires announcement said new purchases of the base game would automatically include them. Existing owners on Steam, Microsoft Store, or Xbox would automatically receive whichever of the three they did not already own. The anniversary announcement described this as a thank-you to players on those platforms.
Did Game Pass subscribers get the free DLC?
The announcement does not explicitly say that subscription-only Game Pass players qualified. It refers to “players who already own” the game on Steam, Microsoft Store, or Xbox, without clarifying whether access through a Game Pass subscription counted as ownership. So the available announcement establishes the gift for existing owners on the named platforms, but does not establish the same entitlement for someone whose only access was through Game Pass.
Current support guidance addresses a different question: Game Pass members can access the game and purchase additional DLC. The support page, updated May 28, 2026, does not resolve who qualified for the 2024 anniversary gift. Age of Empires Support’s download guide lists instructions for Game Pass and other supported storefronts.
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![Age of Empires 2 – Definitive Edition – Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61WdZYRTJBL._SL160_.jpg)
- One of the most beloved strategy games ever made is now available on Xbox consoles, Game Pass, PC, and Cloud for Xbox.
- Optimized for playing with a controller plus new tutorials to get you into the fun quickly.
- Over 200 hours of gameplay across 1,000 years of human history.
- Play from the comfort of your living room with a controller or keyboard and mouse on the best screen in your house, or on your PC.
- Head online to challenge other players with 35 different civilizations in your quest for world domination throughout the ages.
How the offer differed by access or purchase status
| Status described | What the announcement established |
|---|---|
| New base-game purchase | The three named DLCs were to be included automatically. |
| Existing owner on Steam, Microsoft Store, or Xbox | Any of the three named DLCs not already in the player’s collection were to be gifted automatically. |
| Game Pass access without separately owning the game | Eligibility for the anniversary gift was not specified. |
The announcement is historical, from November 14, 2024. It does not establish current regional prices, current bundle contents, or the present availability of any particular offer. If you are checking your library now, verify the DLC entitlement in the account and storefront you used rather than assuming subscription access and ownership were treated identically.
What else happened on the fifth anniversary?
The team also released Chronicles: Battle for Greece on November 14, 2024. It was presented as the game’s seventh DLC and as a separate narrative experience made with partner CaptureAge—not one of the three packs included in the anniversary offer. The team described it as a classical-antiquity expansion with character-centered storytelling.
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In its anniversary post, Age of Empires Official also reported that, over the game’s first five years, it had added 10 civilizations for skirmish and ranked play, 16 campaigns, and almost 100 game updates. Those are the studio’s figures as of November 14, 2024, not current totals. The full anniversary post lists additional milestones.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When did Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launch?
The anniversary fell on November 14, 2024, five years after the listed November 14, 2019 release date. The Xbox game listing identifies it as a real-time strategy game and lists Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11 among its platforms.
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