Age of Empires: Castle Siege gets a soft launch for iOS in Canada with Xbox achievements

By John Callaham
last updated

Age of Empires: Castle Siege, the free-to-play action-strategy game that Microsoft released for Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 in September, is coming to the iPhone and iPad. Microsoft is in the middle of a "soft launch" for the game on those devices. it is currently available for Canadian residents to download and play.

The game was first launched as a Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 exclusive in September 2014 and is based loosely on the classic Age of Empires PC real-time strategy game series. This new game is more like Clash of Clans than the original Age of Empires, as players build up their fortress to defend it against attackers. Here's a brief description:

"Choose from one of several civilizations, including the Britons, Teutons, and Kievan Rus. Upgrade your keep, fortify your walls, and garrison defensive troops to protect yourself from marauders. Then, train an army to raid other cities, and command them in battle to dismantle your opponents' defenses. Over the ages, you'll research technology, live through famous battles, and recruit a variety of heroes to your side, including Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and Joan of Arc. Outsmart your attackers and outplay your victims to earn achievements and climb to the top of the leaderboards. Take command, and make your mark on history!"

According to the site WindowsPhoneApps.es, the game also features the ability for users to login to their Xbox account and presumably earn achievements too.

Since this is a soft launch, it may take a few weeks or months for the iPhone and iPad version of the game to be released to the rest of the world. Microsoft previously launched two of its Halo mobile games, Spartan Strike and Spartan Assault, for iOS in April

Free on iOS App Store (Canada only) (opens in new tab)

Source: WindowsPhoneApps.es; Thanks to Israel Hormazaba for the tip!

John Callaham
John Callaham
94 Comments
  • Let the whining begin...
  • Nope, it is better to have more user base for such games.
  • You and i know that...
    The rest of the wc community?
  • Same thoughts here .
  • wow! this exclusitivity bullshit has to end US only/canada only? WTF?!! not that im complaining for IOS but windows phone situation aint exactly different.
  • its not exclusive, its a soft launch
  • But how are they supposed to log in ? As far as I know, we need to have an Xbox profile for that right.
  • True, but it takes all of five minutes to create one (if they don't have one already; I know more than a few Xbox gamers with iPhones).
  • With GameCenter I suppose and Google Play Games later on Android. Xbox needs to remain exclusive..
  • Nah, CoC is the top now. How many people would play this (IOS)? Hundred? Thousand?
  • Meh, I'm not a fan of CoC - tried playing it, but not being able to direct your troops how you want to when attacking just ruins it. AoE:CS is better IMO, if only for that reason.
  • I thought that too when I first started playing COC.. then I realized it's a matter of where exactly you deploy your troops, versus how the defending village is designed, which determines the path your troops take. It's all part of the strategy.
  • Yeah - I definitely get that, but ultimately you have less strategic options without the extra control over your units. In AoE:CS, it still matters a lot where/how you deploy your troops (ie. don't want to put everything into a firepit, and don't send in low HP units first), but how you handle them is what matters the most. Both games' units have "preferred targets" - but the thing that makes the biggest difference in AoE is being able to prevent units from running straight to their death on defenses you know will anihilate them. I can see CoC being a decent game later on, but having played AoE:CS, I just can't get past not having the ability to control my units.
  • millions.
  • Join USA alliances! To hell with PM!
  • Honestly, Xbox achievements are the only thing that make WP games cool and unique, if they go to other platforms, and if Cortana goes, if office apps go, what's to stop me from just buying an Android or iPhone?
  • The desire to use Windows.
  • That's not enough of a reason for just any average person that doesn't care about technology as much as you or I do
  • I don't want to up and switch because I've invested too much into the windows phone ecosystem but Microsoft haven't been doing much to make me want to stay with their phones.
  • Microsoft gifting away their exclusive IP. Can't wait for Gears of War on PS4 and Forza on Wii U.
  • I think they give their own lives to Apple and Google. You know, That's called slavery.
  • Dont worry, Windows 10 will save everything! Hamburgers rule!!!
  • Thank you, Pizzas are better.
  • Goood, at least we'll have more players. And, really waiting for clan wars kinda of thing.
  • You read my mind
  • Lol it is very narrow though
  • Cut the rope for Linux!
  • Bloodborne for PC!
  • Google Play for Windows phone!
    *wears armor*
  • Cortana for Nokia S40
  • Bhai, you got us in our balls
  • Lol you got some balls of steel right there to say something like that in here!!!
  • Lol, that's why the armor XD
  • I'm not sure, but I think I saw them with crates of ap. Just fyi. ; ) Posted via my HTC One (M7)
  • iTunes for Windows Phone ($_$)
  • Would be great if it launches on android so that i could suggest this game instead of CLASH OF CLANS
  • Nice. If u are from California, come join the group
  • This showed up on TrueAchievements.com as having Xbox Live achievements, too. http://www.trueachievements.com/Age-of-Empires-Castle-Siege-iOS/achievements.htm
  • I swear that wasn't part of the story when I posted my comment.
  • Those cash suckers won't ever learn..
  • So this post is just to brag that for Microsoft sometimes releases games first on their own platform?
  • No, this post is to tell players of AoE that they are going to get a lot more matches soon. It's a good thing.
  • Thanks for letting know, Daniel.
  • That sucks. Every time someone attacks my castle, I hate it. Now more of that crap will happen? I just want to build my castle in peace.
  • You never attack?
  • Of course not. That's just mean. Looting resources from people who are trying hard to make their own kingdoms. Shameful. I don't need to steal to succeed.
  • If you want peace.. Spend a lot of money and build a wall which won't break ever..
  • I usually win defenses so honestly I attack soon after being attacked so my peace treaty goes away. Defending is my main source of crown income (I'm not great at attacking).
  • I left this game after reaching level 7. Fucking piece of shit it gets from this age very high level people attack me and same is when i try to attack. Posted on their forums and they locked my thread. I was into this game since day one only to realize that they will make the game more shit. It was good when it came new. Now i am enjoying clash of clans even though it has cheats like xmod but its fun rather than controlling mindless troops with mindless ai. This game had lot of potential but i don't who the silly developers are who introduced the signal tower and also made the AI very clumsy. Coc was the best and will be the best. Don't compare this shit piece to it.
  • This isn't Sim City. The game is called Age of Empires: Castle Siege for a reason lol....
  • Nice to see Microsoft releasing their Games and such for other Platforms.... But irritating to see that it doesn't work the other way
  • Exactly My thoughts
  • Fine, excluding Android :P
  • Don't be surprised if they eventually release the game for Android soon
  • I understand Microsoft Games putting mobile games on other platforms but I'm totally against and offended that they included Xbox Live achievements on them.
  • Yeah, that's a bad move, whoring out Xbox to enemy platforms. I am surprised Apple even allows it, nevermind that Microsoft is short-sighted enough to do it.
  • Trojan horse
  • Super cell where the hell are you people? Windows OS needs CoC!! "Maybe after W10" tagline for windows fans till july 2015 -_-').
  • MS... You're doing it wrong.
  • Hey guys I'm Israel Hormazabal from Windowsphoneapps.es. I can confirm you that I can play on iOS with my save Xbox save on WP/W8 !
  • Microsoft is just exploiting their services Xbox was just for windows now it is also on ios in this game..... What is this shit.
  • im fine with this, as long they don't realse it on andorid ios is not the maoin competitor of windows 10 for mobile
    its andorid. so beside the most important services and apps (office, skype, one drive, and minecraft) they should not support android to much
    the relationship with apple is and was always way better than the google one
  • This makes absolutely no sense.
  • having skype, one drive an office on everything is important. because they are key services for microsoft
    having some minor apps or games not. so you still got the benefit of more revenue and a wider audience, but strenghten your competing platforms. (the first one will do that, too - but that's nessesary)   the second one is a tradeoff you can do or don't  
  • It's a good thing. I expect more players and new ideas and feedbacks. I just hope that Microsoft will launch a new AoE for W10. I think its a good start :D
  • It's not as better as 'Cloud Raiders'..!!!! If so., do lemme know how..
  • Yeah more keeps to destroy! Btw is anyone here with gamer tag woefulmoss...
  • It's a good idea, launch new IP on windows first, then launch it everywhere, or at least iOS after a year :)
  • I can wait until ps4 gets Halo! (not)
  • It's amusing seeing the people on here defending Microsoft for bringing exclusive IP (Age of Empires) to enemy platforms with exclusive features (Xbox integration), arguing about how it's better because there will be "more players" or Microsoft will make "more money" (only in the short-term; long-term it will cost them), but then when you point out that their arguments are just as applicable to bringing Microsoft's Xbox One games to PS4 and Wii U and they fail to see how their argument falls apart. You can't have it both way. Either you support them whoring out their IP and features to enemy platforms in a short-signed move to get revenue, or you oppose such a myopic move that will undoubtedly hurt Windows and Xbox in the long run. .
  • How about this idea: Microsoft brings their apps and services everywhere...people use them and get hooked. Then...said apps and services always get launched and updated and integrated best on Windows.
  • I don't care about mobile applications going to other operating system. All I care about is console gaming. Microsoft will never release their games to Sony.
  • Why not? They should if they want to make more money. Isn't that the same argument for them doing it on mobile? This hurts Windows Phone and it hurts Xbox.
  • Hehe.. More people coming!
  • Cool.. Now we can conquer iOS users... Revenge .. Buhahahahah B-)
    But they need to add " clan war " kind of feature in clash of clans to AOE ...
  • Woohoo! Fresh meat!
  • Daniel they could at least charge other OS
  • MS should bring a developer tool to port WP apps to iOS or Android.. So that our loyal developers can use the same code to make more money.. ;)
  • Enemy of Enemy is our friend!
    If you know what I meant :P
  • I dont think people will bother because Clash of Clans is light years ahead of this game.
  • clash of clan is nothing infront of AOE !! 
  • I prefer to play AoE on my desktop or on a device with a bigger screen especially when you're around Age 8. I'm thinking iPhone users with small screens will have some difficulty controlling the troops as well - or they can just go and hit the Keep directly instead of looting.
  • Now all I want is Microsoft and Apple to be best mates and take on Google together. I'm so happy stuff isn't being released on Android.
  • Better if they solved connection issues in current version of windows phone..
  • The problem will be.. Can the server be able to handle this?
  • No reason to stay on WP anymore. Might aswell replace my One too.
    Just kill WP, just kill it.
  • This is great. Bring on the Apple newbs. Thank you Microsoft for letting WP users stack up our keeps. I'm just worried that Apple users will complain the game is too hard.
  • Hey what ever happened to that other game. That was supposed to come out. Can't even remember besides it being age of empires
  • Can someone please tell me how do I start a completely new new game. I had installed it long back but now after reinstalling it is showing the previous progress. Is there any way I can start fresh. Thank you
  • No, you cannot start back again bcoz all of them were saved in your Xbox account..
  • Just wondering if the users in WP can attack users in iOS, or they are separated on different servers?
  • Cool! Cant wait to install AOECS on my iPad Air 2! I've actually "kinda" made this work via remote desktop already, but having it run natively on the device is so much better! Next, I want Clash of Clans on my 1520...
  • Hmmm, I wonder if we (us iOS users) can do the "switch our region to access the Canadian app store" trick, like we can on WP for certain apps/games... *runs over to imore to dig for info*
  • great game !! only game i play these days on my phone !!