There are a few different ways to play Age of Empires for free online, depending on which version of the game you’re interested in.
- Age of Empires: Definitive Edition – This is a remastered version of the original Age of Empires game, released in 2018. You can play the first campaign for free by downloading the Microsoft Store version of the game.
- Age of Empires II: HD Edition – This is a remastered version of Age of Empires II, released in 2013. While the base game is not free, you can try out the first campaign for free by downloading the demo version from Steam.
- Age of Empires Online – This was a free-to-play online version of Age of Empires, released in 2011. However, the game was shut down in 2014, so it is no longer possible to play it online.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – This is a remastered version of Age of Empires II, released in 2019. The base game is not free, but you can try out the first two campaigns for free by downloading the demo version from Steam.
It’s worth noting that while these options allow you to play parts of the game for free, you may need to purchase the full game or additional campaigns to continue playing.