It has been two years since the last Age of Empires title was released. The franchise will be taking a slightly different turn with Age of Empire Online which releases worldwide on August 16:

The game will feature two of the greatest ancient civilizations – the Greeks and Egyptians – and will offer more than 40 hours of free gameplay where you can play co-operatively or competitively, craft and trade items, and level up!

As players grow their empires and look for new adventures, “Age of Empires Online” will provide the opportunity to buy fresh new Premium Content Packs; everything from entirely new civilizations, to Booster Packs with new game modes, and more!  This will be the biggest Age of Empires game ever with new social interaction, customization and MMORPG gameplay in an evolving and persistent world.