Age of Mythology
From Liquipedia Age of Empires Wiki
Age of Mythology
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Information
Base game:
Age of Mythology
Type:
Expansion
Developer:
Ensemble Studios
Publisher:
Microsoft Game Studios
Platforms published:
Windows
Mac OSX
Mac OSX
Release Date:
2002-10-30 (North America)
2002-11-11 (Europe)
2002-11-11 (Europe)
Compilations:
Age of Mythology: Gold Edition
Connected Games
Age of Mythology is the 3rd game of the Age of Empires series.
Overview
[edit]Age of Mythology was Ensemble Studios' follow up after the massive, unexpected success of Age of Empires II. Rather than a single person's vision, the direction of Age of Mythology was decided by consensus among workers at Ensemble Studios. Age of Mythology was a commercial success at launch, selling over one million copies within four months of its 2002 release.
However, the competition on Age of Mythology was greatly reduced after the World Cyber Games. Yet, the game maintained a passionate core community of fans over the course of more than 20 years who played the expansion Age of Mythology: The Titans that was released in 2003. Age of Mythology fans love it for the tongue-in-cheek but epic story of its campaign, the sense of scale it achieves with its mechanics, and the unique back-and-forth nature of its online matches. This fanbase included an active online playerbase and regular small-scale tournaments.
The Age of Mythology online community was split into two main groups, those who played on the original version of the game on the Voobly platform and use the community-generated Voobly balance patches, and those who played on the official Steam re-release of the game, Age of Mythology: Extended Edition, including the new DLC titled Age of Mythology: Extended Edition - Tale of the Dragon. While it was up to the discretion of the tournament organizer, tournaments were usually held on the most recent Voobly balance patch.
In September 2024, a reworked Age of Mythology called Age of Mythology: Retold has united the community, introducing a redesign of the game and a new major god Freyr. In addition, many S-tier tournaments have been organized that have attracted sizeable player base. In March 2025, a new DLC titled Age of Mythology: Retold - Immortal Pillars was released, which introduced a rework of the new Chinese civilization. In September 2025, another new DLC was released, with Age of Mythology: Retold - Heavenly Spear introducing the Japanese civilization.
Gameplay
[edit]In addition to the Cavalry-Archers-Infantry counter triangle of other Age of Empires games, Age of Mythology introduces Myth Units, which are strong against all human soldiers, and Heroes, who are humanity's only hope against myth units. Similar to Age of Empires III's leaders, Age of Mythology players add a minor god to their pantheon upon advancing to a new age, gaining access to that god's myth unit(s) and special technologies, as well as a one-time use God Power with a potentially game-changing effect.
The nature of myth units crushing huge numbers of human soldiers and god powers such as Tornado and Earthquake destroying bases that might have taken a full 20 minutes to build gives a game of Age of Mythology an intense, swingy nature. A player who appears to be out of the game might just be waiting for their age-up to finish.
Age of Mythology's early 3D engine has numerous quirks to its gameplay. While there are hackers and known exploits as well as a handful of strategies that are not allowed in most tournaments, there are also numerous ways to take advantage of these quirks that are considered valid tactics for online play, including speedwalking, Suppe walls, and hunt-select scouting. Units often have hidden bonus damage that is referenced nowhere in the official tooltips, and there are various economic upgrades that have no actual effect on a player's economy. Hotkeys do not always function in Age of Mythology the same way as is expected in modern RTS games; it is more efficient to attack enemy units in Age of Mythology by right-clicking on them with your units selected, rather than by using attack-move. Ranged units can miss like in Age of Empires II, but the micro for dodging arrows is different.
Villagers in Age of Mythology are more effective at fighting than in other Age of Empires games. Combined with the need to move out of the starting base in search of food faster than in other Age of Empires games, this creates a metagame where players will often harass enemy food villagers early on, but this conflict usually results in a margin of victory that does not by itself decide the game. Age of Mythology build orders can be quite complex and require intense micromanagement, and it is generally recommended new players avoid learning tournament build orders until they are comfortable with simpler, noob-friendly build orders.
Age of Mythology is also known for the high level of assymetry of its civilizations, all of which contain unique economies like in Age of Empires IV, but also have completely different military units, not to mention myth units and god powers.
Patches
[edit]1.01 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: November 12, 2002
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes and ESO improvements.
1.02 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: December 12, 2002
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes and ESO improvements.
Greeks
[edit]
Hippikons take longer to train on Clasical Age. 15 s >>> 20 s- Helepoli hack armor reduced. 20% >>> 5%
- Helepoli population cost increased. 4 >>> 5
- Helepoli hitpoints reduced. 700 >>> 650
Egyptians
[edit]
- Minion hit points reduced. 180 >>> 140
- Egyptian Barracks gold cost increased. 50 >>> 75
Isis
[edit]
- Obelisks gold cost increased. 5 >>> 10
Norses
[edit]
Norse Longhouse wood cost reduced. 130 >>> 110- Raiding Cavalry hack armor increased. 15% >>> 20%
- Raiding Cavalry pierce armor increased. 25% >>> 35%
Odin
[edit]
- Odin gets a hunting bonus, hunting rate increased. 10% >>> 20%
Thor
[edit]
- Pig Sticker now affects the hunting rate and increases it. 10% >>> 20%
Loki
[edit]
- Ox Carts now are weaker instead of stronger, hit points decreased. 260 >>> 80
1.03 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: January 28, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes and ESO improvements.
All Civilizations
[edit] Egyptians
[edit]- Mercenary Cavalry pierce armor reduced. ???% >>> 45%
- Mercenary Cavalry hack armor reduced. ???% >>> 40%
- Mercenary Cavalry now has a limit on the amount that can be created at the same time. ∞ >>> 8
- Mercenary Cavalry lifespan reduced. 45 s >>> 40 s
- Mercenary now has a limit on the amount that can be created at the same time. ∞ >>> 12
- Mercenary lifespan reduced. 45 s >>> 40 s
- Camel Rider, Chariot Archer and War Elephant upgrades are more expensive.
- Chariot Archer speed reduced. ??? >>> 5.0
- Roc hack armor reduced. ??? >>> 30%
- Roc speed reduced. ??? >>> 4.8
- Farming is slower during Archaic Age, Plow restores the rate.
Ra
[edit]
- Camel Rider and Chariot Archer have a smaller hit point bonus.
- Priest now empower less than Pharaoh.
Set
[edit]
- All the animals cost 1 less pop slot.
- Slingers now have more hit points. 65 >>> 79
Greeks
[edit]- Cyclops hit points increased. 600 >>> 650
Poseidon
[edit]
1.04 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: February 14, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes.
1.05 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: April 15, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes and ESO improvements.
Egyptians
[edit]- War Elephant hack attack increased. 12 >>> 14
- War Elephant hack armor increased. 20% >>> 25%
- Priest bonus attack vs Myth Units increased. ??? >>> +2
Norses
[edit]- Norses do not get favor from Longboats
- Throwing Axeman attack reduced. 5 >>> 4.5
- Valkyrie favor cost increased. 15 >>> 20
- Fire Giant normal attack reduced. ??? >>> 15 hack 15 crush
- Fire Giant special attack increased. ??? >>> 25 hack and 15 crush
- Kraken hit points reduced. 1000 >>> 900
- Kraken attack reduced. ??? >>> 15 hack 5 crush
1.06 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: May 8, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- ESO improvements.
Greeks
[edit] Egyptians
[edit]- Sphinx upgrades are cheaper.
Set
[edit]- Animals do less damage to buildings.
- Animals take longer to convert.
- Slinger hit points bonus reduced. +20% (79) >>> +10% (72)
- Feral bonus damage reduced. +50% >>> +25%
Norses
[edit]- Thundering Hooves bonus hit points reduced to Jarls. +20% >>> +10%
Odin
[edit]- Bonus hit points reduced to Jarls. +20% >>> +10%
1.07 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: September 30, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- ESO improvements and exploit fixes.
Greeks
[edit]- Dock wood cost reduced. 125 >>> 100
Poseidon
[edit]- Stable wood cost increased. 60 >>> 70
Egyptians
[edit]- Siege Tower hitpoints reduced. 350 >>> 300
Ra
[edit]- Priests now have a 5% empowerment boost when empowering villagers gathering resources.
Set
[edit]- All converted Set animals now have a 40% attack reduction.
- All Set animals now have a 35% hitpoint reduction.
- Rhino, Aurochs, Elephant, Hyena, Ape, Gazelle and Boar of Set now cost 1 more pop slot.
- Ape now costs 1 more favor.
Norses
[edit]- Thundering Hooves now benefits Rading Cavalry, recieving a 10% bonus on speed and hitpoints.
- Rading Cavalry training time increased. 15 s >>> 18 s
- Ulfsark pierce armor increased. 5% >>> 10%
- Hill Fort cost increased. 200 wood 200 gold >>> 250 wood 250 gold
- Hill Fort attack range reduced. 20 >>> 18
- Portable Ram hit points reduced. 250 >>> 215
- Portable Ram speed reduced. 3.6 >>> 3.25
1.08 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: November 2, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- ESO improvements.
1.09 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: November 2, 2003
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes.
1.10 Age of Mythology Windows
[edit]Release date: April 28, 2004
Game Fixes
[edit]- Exploit fixes.
Upcoming and most recent tournaments
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology tournaments here.
S-Tier
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology S-Tier tournaments here.
Tier
G & S
Tournament
Date
Prize Pool
Location
P#
Winner
Runner-up
A-Tier
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology A-Tier tournaments here.
Tier
G & S
Tournament
Date
Prize Pool
Location
P#
Winner
Runner-up
Apr 19–20, 2025
$1,326.55
World26 participants
B-Tier
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology B-Tier tournaments here.
Tier
G & S
Tournament
Date
Prize Pool
Location
P#
Winner
Runner-up
C-Tier
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology C-Tier tournaments here.
Tier
G & S
Tournament
Date
Prize Pool
Location
P#
Winner
Runner-up
Showmatch
[edit]Note: Find all Age of Mythology Showmatches here.
Tier
G & S
Tournament
Date
Prize Pool
Location
P#
Winner
Runner-up
Oct 31, 2025
$300
Salzburg2 participants
