10 Old Video Games That Still Have Active Multiplayer Communities
2. Age Of Empires II
Released in 1999 to universal acclaim, Age of Empires II is a genre-defining quintessential masterpiece that has stood the test of time. Not only was it was the fourth best selling game in 1999, it also managed to maintain a spot in the list of the top 20 bestselling games for the next two and a half years.
Age of Empires II sparked the creation of numerous games in the RTS genre that took inspiration from its core game mechanics, a trend which continued well into the next millennium. After pushing out an HD Edition in 2013, Microsoft also published a Definitive Edition just last November.
The Definitive Edition has a few updated elements, such as a redesigned lobby browser and higher resolution textures. Multiplayer matches have also been shifted from being hosted on peer-to-peer connections to dedicated servers, allowing for added network stability during matches, and not being bogged down by lag if your opponents have a bad connection.
However, much of the game’s core gameplay elements remain untouched and it holds up astoundingly well 21 years later. With cross-play enabled between both the Steam and Windows Store versions of the game, Age of Empires II brings around 20,000 players together on a bad day.