Age of Empires IV has been bolstered with all sorts of content updates since it originally launched on Windows PC in 2021, and next month on 14th November, it will be getting a new paid expansion, "The Sultans Ascend".
This adds new civilizations including the Japanese and Byzantines, and the development team at Age has recently highlighted a detailed analysis of the Japanese civilization. You can also learn more about the Byzantines on the Age of Empires website.
Here's a quick rundown of how "The Japanese" civilization will play in Age of Empires 4 (via the official website). You can get a thorough breakdown of this new civilization on the same page.
The Japanese civilization begin Age 1 with multi-purpose buildings that offer unique options for early strategy and are excellent at producing Fishing Ships quickly.
They focus on localized economy supported by Daimyo from Town Centers. Once upgraded into a Daimyo Manor, villagers working farms in the surrounding area will receive a large bonus and Samurai Bannermen become available to produce.
A vast roster of infantry, primarily focused on the Samurai, defend the territory and lead the battle with Samurai Bannermen. Bannermen support infantry and cavalry with attack bonuses and the Samurai offer excellent front-line support with their Deflective Armor, an ability which periodically blocks attacks.
In addition to these two new civilizations, The Sultans Ascend will also include a new 8-mission campaign, 4 new variant civilizations, 10 new maps, 2 new biomes and brand new unlockable rewards. It will be priced at £12.49 / $14.99 when it arrives and you can learn more on the official Age website.
This latest announcement for Age of Empires IV follows on from a DLC update for Age of Empires II Definitive Edition, which is out today: