Microsoft bringing Age of Empires to iOS next year [updated]

Yesterday, we came across a rumor that Microsoft will be releasing many of its popular Xbox titles on iOS. 24 hours down the road, we now have official confirmation from their spokesperson, but the gossips were only part true.

As it turns out, Microsoft is currently focused on only one game, the classic Age of Empires. They will be offering this popular title on various mobile platforms, with the help of a Japanese developer firm, Klab.

It is not yet time to start jumping on the bed, though. Only the initial announcement has been made and it’s still a long time, till you can start building your iPad empire. The estimated release is only by March, 2014. Yes, still 9 months away!

Whether it will be paid or free is still undisclosed. But from what we’ve seen with other similar apps, we should expect it to be free, with lots of in-app purchases. Fingers crossed!

It is obvious from this move that old gaming giants are clearly sensing the mobile impulse of the future. Konami and Nintendo are some of them. Now that 3rd party controllers are supported by iOS 7, many more developers would surely be attracted.

Currently, Microsoft has Ms Splosion Man, Wordament, Halo Waypoint and Kinectimals as games on the App Store. Hopefully, Age of Empires will only be the start of dozens of Xbox titles flowing into the App Store.

Update: PocketGamer has got more details:

It’s not going to be a port or a remake, but an entirely new free-to-play experience set in the Age of Empires universe.

KLab describes it as “a new genre of strategy game appropriate to the platform and the audience”.

After the game is initially launched on iOS and Android, KLab and Microsoft plan to make the game available on Windows Phone 8.