Age of Empires IV: Raiders of the North Adds Vikings and Scots, Out Now

Age of Empires IV's latest expansion, Raiders of the North, launched October 29 for the Anniversary Edition, per Xbox Wire, adding two new civilizations — the Vikings and the Scots — plus a new co-op-ready mission mode. Developed by World's Edge, Relic Entertainment, and Forgotten Empires, it was first revealed at June's Xbox Games Showcase.

"The Scots stand firm as a resilient and defensive civilization," the official description reads — the exact opposite of the people they spend the expansion fighting.

The details

• New civilizations: Vikings and Scots, each with new architecture, masteries, music, and language
• New mode: Crucible, four missions playable solo or in two-player co-op
• New biomes: Scottish Heathland and Tundra Summer
• Price: €19.99 at launch
• Requires: Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (base game on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One)

How do the new civilizations play?

The Vikings are built around raiding: fast melee infantry, strong navies, and a late-game turn toward knights and Sagas. The Scots are their counterweight — disciplined infantry, fortified defenses, and a food economy running on Highland cattle and fishponds. Their Mustering Hall lets players commit to Highland or Lowland strengths, shaping how the civilization develops through a match.

What is Crucible?

Crucible is a new mission mode with four scenarios, including seaborne Viking raids and a civil war between Scottish clans. It layers in new objectives, Boons, Perks, and Mutators, along with civilization-specific Talent Tracks, and can be played alone or with a partner in two-player co-op.

Why it matters

Four years past launch, Age of Empires IV is still adding full civilizations rather than cosmetic packs, and Crucible gives the game a structured co-op mode that skirmish and ranked never offered. For a strategy series measured in centuries, the release schedule is moving at a surprisingly brisk march.