Age of Empires 4 Xbox version is seemingly in development

age of empires 4 tips
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Age of Empires 4 could be testing for an Xbox launch, it's been revealed.

Over the past weekend, the Twitter account below, which trawls the Xbox database for codenames and other product information, revealed a product codenamed "Cardinal" had been added to the Xbox database. The account claims that this codename is actually related to Age of Empires 4, meaning an Xbox-related version of the new strategy game is currently in the works at developer Relic.

See more

However, this isn't a guarantee that Age of Empires 4 will eventually see a launch on Xbox consoles, if this Cardinal codename is even related to Relic's strategy game in the first place. The game could simply be undergoing internal testing at the developer, and might not be intended for a public release on the Xbox One/Xbox Series consoles.

If Age of Empires 4 does make the jump from PC to Xbox consoles however, it wouldn't be the first Xbox-published, PC-exclusive game to do so. Last year in 2021, Asobo's Microsoft Flight Simulator arrived for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, but not for Xbox One. It could be the case that the two new-gen consoles see an Age of Empires 4 release, but the last-gen Xbox One is sadly left out.

If you're unfamiliar with Age of Empires 4, it's the latest in a very long line of tactical strategy games, which have always launched exclusively for PC. The new game arrived for PCs worldwide as of October 2021, and while you wait why not check out our pick of the best games like Age of Empires for all platforms. 

You can head over to our upcoming Xbox Series X games guide for a full look at all the future titles confirmed for Microsoft's new-gen console.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.