Age of Empires IV: Raiders of the North is available now on Steam, Microsoft Store, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. The expansion adds the Vikings and the Scots as two new civilizations, four DLC-exclusive Crucible missions, two new biomes, new music and taunts, a new progression system, and a new talent track. According to the official Age of Empires announcement, today’s release also ships alongside the 17.0 update, which includes additional fixes and changes that were not part of the 17.0 Preview.
Two New Civilizations: The Scots and the Vikings
The Scots enter under the banner “Through Mist and Moor.” The announcement frames them as a civilization that invests in powerful technology and quickly musters warriors to protect the kingdom. The design is infantry-focused and defensive. They excel at ambushing enemies from stealth forests, protecting grazing Highland Cattle, and establishing communal Fishponds. The Gallowglass is built to meet enemies head on, while the Border Reivers strike deep into enemy territory. Their identity combines a stable food economy, prepared ambush positions, and a mix of frontline and raiding units.
The Vikings enter under “Wolves Upon the Sea.” They draw from the history of the Viking Age and are built for relentless raiding. Sagas mark accomplishments, Völur seers guide the player’s path, and the Longhouse is the backbone of the economy. Berserkers are always ready for the next charge. The announcement’s quote, “For a hungry wolf is bound to wage a hard battle,” summarizes the pressure-oriented kit.
How the Two Civilization Designs Compare
The two civilizations pull in opposite directions. A Scottish player can start by securing Highland Cattle and building Fishponds, then use stealth forests to set ambushes and force unfavorable fights. The mid game benefits from disciplined infantry and fortified defenses. In the late game, Gallowglass units can hold the front while Border Reivers raid deep into enemy territory. This is a civilization for players who want to build a defensible economy and punish opponents who overextend.
A Viking player wants to be the one forcing the action. The Longhouse economy rewards active play, and Sagas turn accomplishments into a progression system. Völur seers add a guide to the player’s path, while Berserkers give the civilization a hard-hitting infantry charge. Early raids can create an advantage. Viking players choose which objectives to mark mid-game and must convert pressure into a finish before opponents stabilize. The strategic contrast changes build priorities, map movement, and the timing of each civilization’s power spike.
The difference also shows up in map priorities. A Scottish player wants to control food zones and stealth forests, because those are the tools that turn defensive play into damage. A Viking player wants to control the tempo and turn successful raids into Saga progress. The two rosters produce different ways of generating advantage, which should create clear matchup dynamics when the new civilizations meet.
Crucible Reforged: What Is Free and What Is Paid
The Crucible receives what the announcement calls a mammoth update alongside Raiders of the North. That update includes new and updated content, a massive balance update, and other improvements based on previous feedback. Co-op play now comes to the mode’s new and existing missions. A player who does not own the expansion still gets the updated Crucible mode, co-op access to existing missions, balance changes, and feedback-driven improvements. The mode also expands with new Objectives, Boons, Perks, Mutators, and civilization-specific Talent Tracks, which the announcement says deliver meaningful variety and replayability.
Raiders of the North owners gain more. The expanded Crucible Mode list includes four new co-op Crucible missions with new objectives, points of interest, and much more. Four entirely new Crucible missions are exclusive to the DLC, with challenges such as seaborne raiders and civil war among Scottish clans. The included content list adds a new progression system with unlockable Boons, a civilization talent track, and Boon Ascension. Conqueror Mode is further improved with 25 new weekly mutators. The free update refreshes the mode for every player, while the paid DLC adds exclusive missions and progression hooks that are not available otherwise.
New Biomes and the 17.0 Update
Raiders of the North adds two new biomes: Scottish Heathland and Tundra Summer. The expansion also includes new music, taunts, boons, and a brand new talent track. Today’s 17.0 update includes additional fixes and changes that were not part of the 17.0 Preview. The release notes list the build as 17.0.12182.
What Raiders of the North Means for Age of Empires IV
Raiders of the North continues a paid expansion path that has already run through Dynasties of the East, Knights of Cross and Rose, The Sultans Ascend, and Yue Fei’s Legacy. The two civilizations use separate systems, Sagas for the Vikings and stealth forests for the Scots, so the expansion adds more matchup variety than a single-civilization release.
The patch footprint is larger than a single-civilization drop. Raiders of the North puts two new civilizations into the live game at the same time as the Crucible update, the biome additions, and the 17.0 technical changes.
That cadence extends beyond the main title. Releases like the Age of Empires II Viking Sagas DLC and Age of Empires Mobile’s PC edition show that the series keeps multiple games active.
