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Age of Empires III for Windows: Edition, Requirements and Online Play

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is the current Windows release. Compare its official PC requirements and learn how the 2007 original’s sale and multiplayer status differ.
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Yes, you can play Age of Empires III on Windows, but the name refers to two releases with different availability and online status. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is the current Windows release. The original 2007 game is no longer sold on Steam, and its online multiplayer service ended in 2024; owners can still play its campaign and skirmish modes.

Which Age of Empires III is available for Windows?

For a current Windows purchase, look for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. Steam lists it as a strategy game released on October 15, 2020. The original Age of Empires III is a separate 2007 release, not another name for the Definitive Edition.

The publisher’s Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition page describes 4K Ultra HD graphics, enhanced audio, historical battles, Art of War challenge missions, cross-network online multiplayer, spectator mode and mod support. It says the edition includes previously released expansions and adds the Swedes and Inca civilizations. Steam lists an 18-civilization roster, but storefront descriptions and packages can distinguish the base game from add-ons; check the specific listing for what your purchase includes.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition system requirements

The publisher’s Windows requirements page, updated August 31, 2026, lists the following specifications. These are published requirements, not a guarantee of a particular frame rate or performance on every PC.

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#1 Best Overall
Age of Empires III
  • Start out playing as the British and begin with a solid economy, or lead the French into an easy alliance with Native Americans - 8 total civilizations to choose from
  • Work with Native Americans to your tactical advantage, for the first time ever
  • Develop your own Home City, and customize it make it wealthier and more powerful as you take over Europe
  • Explore the New World and create colonies while seeking out new resources and making alliances with the Native Americans
  • Recover buried treasure from the Caribbean, hunt bison on the Great Plains, compete for trade routes and fortify the coast of New England
Requirement Minimum Recommended
Operating system Windows 10 version 18362.0 or higher; 64-bit system 64-bit system; the page does not state a different Windows version
Processor Intel i3-2105 at 3.1 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 973 class Intel i5-3300 at 3.0 GHz or AMD FX-8350 class
Memory 8 GB RAM 16 GB RAM
Graphics GeForce GT 430, Radeon HD 5570 or Intel HD 4400 class; 2 GB VRAM GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon R9 Fury class; 4 GB VRAM
DirectX Version 11 Version 11
Internet Broadband internet Broadband internet
Available storage 42 GB 42 GB

Compare your PC’s operating system, processor, RAM, graphics card and available storage with the official system requirements. A graphics card’s model and VRAM both matter: meeting the listed memory amount alone does not establish that it is equivalent to the specified graphics class.

The same support page says Mac play is supported with Parallels Desktop; Linux, Android and iOS devices such as iPad are not supported.

Rank #2
Age of Empires III: Complete Collection - PC
  • Stunning scenes
  • Spectacular combat
  • Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons
  • New game-play elements
  • Online play is not supported anymore. Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8

What happened to the original 2007 game?

The original game’s Steam sale ended October 8, 2024. Its online multiplayer services ended October 30, 2024, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time because the underlying technology was no longer supported. According to Age of Empires Support, owners can still play the campaign and skirmish content, but not online multiplayer. These shutdowns apply to the 2007 release, not the Definitive Edition.

In the same notice, Age of Empires Support says, “Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition will continue to be supported.” The notice concerns the retirement of the original game; it does not provide a schedule or promise of specific future updates.

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Rank #3
Age of Empires III (PC Games)
  • Stunning scenes
  • Spectacular combat
  • New game-play elements

Which edition should you choose?

  • Want the current release and online multiplayer? Check the Windows listing for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. The publisher describes it as supporting cross-network online play.
  • Already own the 2007 game? Its campaign and skirmish remain playable, but its online multiplayer service has ended.
  • Checking what a purchase includes? Review the exact storefront package and any separately listed DLC. The official page currently lists The Baltic Powers; it also describes Knights of the Mediterranean as adding Italy, Malta, Tycoon mode and historical maps, and The African Royals as adding the Ethiopian and Hausa civilizations.
  • Not sure your PC can run it? Compare its components with the official minimum and recommended requirements above rather than relying only on the game title or a general Windows compatibility label.
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Where to get Age of Empires III for Windows

The Steam listing for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is one Windows storefront option. Confirm the edition, package contents and any separately sold add-ons on the store you choose, since listings may present the base game and DLC separately.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Age of Empires III
Age of Empires III
Work with Native Americans to your tactical advantage, for the first time ever
$37.55
Bestseller No. 2
Age of Empires III: Complete Collection - PC
Age of Empires III: Complete Collection - PC
Stunning scenes; Spectacular combat; Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons
$87.55
Bestseller No. 3
Age of Empires III (PC Games)
Age of Empires III (PC Games)
Stunning scenes; Spectacular combat; New game-play elements
$58.44
Bestseller No. 5

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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