For Release 6:01 a.m. CEST Aug. 17, 2010
Microsoft Heralds a New Age of Gaming With Age of Empires Online
New franchise installment joins exciting PC lineup of LIVE-enabled titles from Microsoft Game Studios. COLOGNE, Germany Aug. 17, 2009 On the eve of Gamescom 2010, the worlds largest consumer-oriented games showcase, Microsoft Corp. unveiled the newest addition to the famed Age of Empires franchise, Age of Empires Online. Microsoft also announced the development of Microsoft Flight, a new entry inspired by the best-selling Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise. Published by Microsoft Game Studios, these new titles, along with the previously announced Fable III, fully integrate the free* Games for Windows LIVE online service to deliver compelling socially connected gameplay experiences. Today, were bringing powerful, inventive gaming experiences to the Windows-based PC, said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. Over the years, our PC heritage captured the hearts and minds of millions of players. Reinventing these iconic franchises with social, shared experiences at their core marks the beginning of our return to PC gaming in bold new ways. Age of Empires for a New Era With more than 20 million copies sold worldwide, the Age of Empires series redefined real-time strategy games for Windows-based PC players. Now, the timeless franchise once again invites players to experience its rich storyline in new ways. Developed by Robot Entertainment, Age of Empires Online will invite players to create a living, growing online world, shared with

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friends and friendly rivals around the globe. Begin the journey with your own Greek civilization, and watch as it progresses from a village to an empire. Embark on quests along the way, alone or with friends, and immerse yourself in epic tales, quirky characters, adventure, history, and strategy. Together with the Games for Windows LIVE service, Age of Empires Online delivers a rich, social experience that lets you play however you want anywhere, anytime. Marrying fresh features with iconic gameplay, Age of Empires Online offers something for long-time fans, newcomers, and everyone in between. Age of Empires Online will feature: A persistent online capital city that lives and grows even when youre offline Cooperative multiplayer quests, trading, and a level-based system that lets you progress at your own pace Fun, approachable style and storylines Free-to-play experiences via Games for Windows LIVE
More information, news, and chances to join the beta program are available at http://www.ageofempiresonline.com. Introducing Microsoft Flight Twenty-eight years after the debut of Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0, Microsoft Game Studios also announced the internal development of Microsoft Flight, a new Windows exclusive. Microsoft Flight will bring a new perspective to the long-standing genre, welcoming everyone, including long-time fans, to experience the magic of flight. A teaser of the future of Flight on the Windows-based PC is available at http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight. Discover Adventure With Fable on the PC Fable III for Windows lets you once again join the action, drama and adventure while you rule Albion as the next king or queen in an ever-evolving world of rebellion and revolution.

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Discover new quests and unlock new regions as you make choices and sacrifices to test your morality and potentially affect your entire kingdom. The choice is yours: Reunite the impoverished people of your kingdom as their monarch, or bring Albion to the brink of collapse. Powered by Games for Windows LIVE All three titles are designed with Games for Windows LIVE at the core, delivering a seamless online gaming experience from start to finish. Log in with a single identity to earn achievements and up your gamerscore across Games for Windows LIVE and Xbox LIVE. See your friends online, send and receive voice messages, text messages and game invites, and enjoy cross-platform communication. You even receive automatic game updates and the ability to extend the experience with Game Add-ons only found on the Games for Windows LIVE Marketplace. Additional information, screenshots, and trailers for Age of Empires Online, Microsoft Flight, and Fable III are available at the Microsoft gamescom press site at http://xbox.com/en-GB/press. About Microsoft Game Studios Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox 360 video game console, Windows-based PC, and Windows Phone 7. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating an innovative and diverse gaming portfolio across all platforms, including such landmark franchises as Halo and Age of Empires.

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About Games for Windows LIVE Games for Windows LIVE is a free online gaming service that lets you connect and play with your friends and more than 25 million global Xbox LIVE members. Its a world-class online gaming network that offers online matchmaking using the patented TrueSkill enhanced matchmaking system. The service offers text and voice messaging across Games for Windows LIVE and Xbox LIVE. In addition, consumers can easily discover, view, and purchase full game titles and game add-ons through the Games for Windows LIVE Marketplace at http://www.gamesforwindows.com. For more information and updates on the latest games and add-on content available, follow the Games for Windows LIVE Twitter account (http://twitter.com/gfwl), join the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/gamesforwindows), or subscribe to the RSS feed(http://www.microsoft.com/games/enus/feeds/rss.xml). About Microsoft Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Broadband Internet required.
For more information, press only: Cindy Davidson, Edelman, (206) 268-2258, Cindy.Davidson@edelman.com Whitney Strong, Edelman, (206) 505-6567, Whitney.Strong@edelman.com Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsofts Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

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Age of Empires Online
Fact Sheet January 2011 Title: Publisher: Developer: Format: ESRB Rating: Availability: Product Overview: Age of Empires Online Microsoft Game Studios Robot Entertainment Available via download E10+ 2011 Age of Empires Online is the next evolution in the iconic Age of Empires franchise. Age of Empires Online invites players to create a living, growing online empire, shared with friends and friendly rivals around the world. Centered on your unique online capital city, embark on quests, play with or against friends, and immerse yourself in epic tales, quirky characters, adventure, history and strategy. With new features such as live chat with thousands of other players, an integrated friends list with your Xbox LIVE friends, and a multiplayer game thats both cooperative and competitive, Age of Empires Online creates a rich social gaming experience unique in the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. Powered by Games for Windows LIVE, Age of Empires Online marries fresh features with classic RTS gameplay, paying tribute to the original game(s) while incorporating a new look, feel and approach that appeals to longtime fans, newcomers and everyone in between. Top features include the following: Familiar Age elements. Age of Empires Online stays true to its roots with traditional RTS gameplay, a deep player-versus-player mode and detailed historical settings. From the creation of your capital city to resource management and competitive matches, Age of Empires fans will feel right at home.

Features:

A living online civilization. Using your online capital city as home base, embark on quests alone or with a friend, earn rewards, and evolve your civilization from village to empire. Your empire continues to grow and accrue resources even when you arent online. A new look and feel. Age of Empires Online brings a new, stylized art scheme and an unprecedented level of detail to PC gameplay, approachable and fun, Age of Empires Online lets you progress at your own pace and invites players at any experience level to login and discover the world of RTS gaming. Free-to-play. Download Age of Empires Online free from almost anywhere and enjoy hours of gameplay with the starter Greek and Egyptian civilizations. Build your online capital city, embark on quests, level up, and explore the world of Age of Empires Online without paying a cent! Deep selection of premium content. As your empire grows, so too does Age of Empires Online, with frequently released new content designed to keep the experience fresh. From new quests and regions to entirely new civilizations, Age of Empires Online is always evolving so you can choose the content thats right for you and your budget. Better with Games for Windows LIVE. Age of Empires Online was built with Games for Windows LIVE at its core, delivering a truly connected experience that includes Achievements, a common Gamertag, Gamerscore and a unified friends list. With free competitive and cooperative gameplay, including co-op quests and trading, Age of Empires Online integrates with Games for Windows LIVE to make your friends and friendly rivals a seamless part of the experience.
About Age of Empires The Age of Empires franchise is an award-winning and best-selling real-time strategy PC game series. Published by Microsoft Game Studios, the acclaimed Age of Empires franchise has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, spanning 11 games and 13 years. About Microsoft Game Studios Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox 360 video game console, Windows-based PC and Windows Phone 7. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating an innovative and diverse gaming portfolio across all platforms, including such landmark franchises as Halo and Age of Empires. For more information, press only: Travis Roberts, Edelman, (206) 268-2283, travis.roberts@edelman.com Adam Zukor, Edelman, (206) 268-2247, adam.zukor@edelman.com