Developer World's Edge has brought a previously scrapped Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition project back to life. The upcoming Baltic Powers expansion arrives on September 10 for PC, bringing two new civilizations, over 25 new maps, new challenge scenarios, new game modes, and more than 50 hero customizations.
Quick Facts
- Game: Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition
- Platform: PC (Steam)
- Expansion Release Date: September 10
- New Civilizations: Kingdom of Denmark-Norway and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Key Additions: 25+ new maps, new game modes, challenge scenarios, and 50+ hero customizations
Uncanceling the Scrapped Expansion
Early last year, World's Edge announced it was canceling an unnamed expansion revealed the prior year. The studio stated at the time that the announcement was premature because the team hadn't built anything proper before sharing its plans with players. Production director Earnest Yuen had previously teased the project in 2024 by showing flags for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Denmark.
While the developer hasn't explicitly confirmed that The Baltic Powers is the exact expansion that was binned last year, the inclusion of those same two factions points directly to the revived project. The studio notes that the expansion is built around what players value most: new strategic problems, matchups, map mastery methods, and reasons to return to the game.
Players who want an early look can try out the Danes and the Poles right now, as an open beta for The Baltic Powers is currently live on Steam.
Free Trial Ending in August
In addition to the expansion news, the free trial for Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition is being retired on Steam starting August 13. Players who used the free trial to access rotating civilizations will need to purchase the full release on PC to continue playing past that date.