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Age of Empires II cover art
Age of Empires II. Age of Empires II screenshot, via IGDB. Unofficial site, not affiliated with the publisher.
PC port · Windows → PC

openage (Age of Empires II engine clone)

A volunteer open-source clone of the Genie engine behind Age of Empires and Age of Empires II. It converts your own game's assets, but gameplay is not working yet.

UnreleasedEngine rewriteNeeds your own copyv0.6.0Updated

You need your own copy of Age of Empires II. This port only runs with files from a copy you own; there is no download or play button here. No copy? These play in your browser right away, no files needed: BO1 Zombies (vel.gg), GTA 3 Online (quenq III Web), The Simpsons: Hit & Run WASM.

What you need

Your own copy of Age of Empires, Age of Empires II (HD) or one of their Definitive Editions for the graphics and sounds, plus a Linux, Windows or Mac computer that can build the project. Gameplay is not functional yet.

Official releases ↗GitHub repository ↗

We do not host any files. Only download from the project's official source.

Every version of Age of Empires II 1

  1. openage (Age of Empires II engine clone)This page

    UnreleasedEngine remake

    Clone of the Age of Empires II engine 🚀

    Runs on Linux (build from source or distribution packages), Windows (installer on the releases page or build from source), macOS (build from source)Needs files from a copy you own★ 14.6kv0.6.0 · Nov 26, 2024

    Website ↗

We link to each project's own page and host no game files. Version data from project pages, our daily checks and awesome-decomp-games (CC0).

Short answer

openage is a free, open-source clone of the Genie engine that runs Age of Empires and Age of Empires II. It needs the files from your own copy, and you cannot play a full match with it yet: the README says gameplay is “basically non-functional” during a rewrite. Latest release: v0.6.0, 26 November 2024.

This site is not affiliated with openage, Microsoft or Ensemble Studios. We do not host any files and only link the project’s official pages.

What it is

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings came out for Windows in 1999 on Ensemble Studios’ Genie engine. Microsoft still sells it today as the HD Edition and the Definitive Edition, but only for Windows and Xbox.

openage is “a volunteer project to create a free engine clone of the Genie Engine used by Age of Empires, Age of Empires II (HD) and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds” (openage README). The project started in November 2013 and compares itself to OpenRA, OpenMW and OpenTTD. It is written in C++ with Python for scripting and asset conversion, and uses its own modding format, nyan.

The stated goals are an authentic look and feel, no artificial limits such as the old 30-unit selection cap, easy modding, and AI scripting in Python.

Current status

  • Status: in development, not playable. The README’s “Current State of the Project” section reads: “At the moment, ‘gameplay’ is basically non-functional.” The team removed the old, partly working simulation to build a new one that can use their converted asset packs and modding API.
  • Latest release: v0.6.0, 26 November 2024. It added a flow field pathfinder for smooth unit movement, a node-based “activity system” for unit behaviour, drag selection, and large performance gains.
  • Recent activity: the repository was last updated on 20 October 2026, and the team posts progress on its development blog.
  • Builds: CI covers Debian, Ubuntu, macOS and Windows. There are no ready-made macOS packages, and on Linux only some distributions package it.

What you need

  • Your own copy of one of the original games for the art and sound: Age of Empires, Age of Empires II (including the HD Edition) or a Definitive Edition. The media conversion guide lists the supported versions. openage does not include any game assets.
  • A computer you can build software on. The README “strongly recommends” building from source. Windows users can try the installer on the releases page; Linux users can check their distribution’s packages; macOS needs a source build.

How it works (overview)

  1. Clone the repository and install the dependencies listed in the project’s building guide for your system (C++ compiler, CMake, Python 3, Cython, Qt 6, OpenGL, Opus).
  2. Build with ./configure --download-nyan and make, or use the Docker setup in the docs.
  3. Run cd bin && ./run main. On first start a converter reads your installed Age of Empires game and turns its assets into openage’s own formats.
  4. Explore what the engine can do so far. Expect missing features and crashes; it is a developer build.

If you want to play Age of Empires II today

openage is worth following, not yet worth installing just to play. For an actual match today, the official Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on Windows (it also runs on Linux and Steam Deck through Steam’s Proton) is the practical option. For the same kind of open-source engine that is already playable, see OpenRA for Red Alert and Tiberian Dawn.

FAQ

Can you play Age of Empires II with openage?

Not yet. The openage README says that gameplay is "basically non-functional" while the team rebuilds the game simulation. You can build it, convert your game's assets and see units and terrain, but you cannot play a real match.

Does openage need the original game?

Yes. It uses the graphics and sounds from your own copy of Age of Empires, Age of Empires II (including the HD Edition) or their Definitive Editions, and does not ship any of them.

Is openage free?

Yes. It is a volunteer, open-source project under the GPL-3.0 licence. The game assets it uses still come from a copy you own.

What is the latest openage version?

On 3 November 2026 the latest release was v0.6.0 from 26 November 2024, which added a flow field pathfinder and a configurable unit behaviour system. The main branch is updated more often.

Is openage the same as Age of Empires II Definitive Edition?

No. Definitive Edition is Microsoft's official remaster. openage is an unofficial engine clone that aims to run the classic games on Linux, Windows and macOS with modding in mind.

Unofficial. This page is written by an independent directory. It is not made by, endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft (developed by Ensemble Studios) or SFTtech and openage contributors (openage (Age of Empires II engine clone)'s author). We do not host any files, and we never link to game files, ROMs or ISOs.

Sources

This page was last updated on Nov 3, 2026. A date after a source is the day we read it. Versions and steps follow the official project; if they differ, the official source wins.

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