Although Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is built to run on any PC that meets the minimum specifications, not all game settings are suited for every machine. If you are experiencing performance issues while playing, try the following steps:
🛠 Ensure that your computer meets the minimum requirements to play the game.
Check to ensure that your system meets the minimum system requirements to run the game. This includes checking your version of Windows 10. If you need to update your version of Windows 10, you can follow the instructions here.
🛠 Run the “Recommended” display settings for your system.
- Right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings.
- Select Advanced Display Settings.
- Select Recommended.
🛠 Close Any Background Applications
This will help mitigate any disruptions while you’re playing Age of Empires. You can see what applications are currently running by pressing ALT + SHIFT + Esc to open the Task Manager window.
🛠 Reduce the population cap.
High-population games can cause performance issues on some machines. Experiment by playing a game at the default population cap of 50; if that runs smoothly, you may experiment with higher numbers.
🛠 Reduce the number of players in your game.
Games with a higher number of players naturally have a higher population, and each human player you add increases the strain on the P2P connection. Try a 1v1 game against an AI, then gradually increase the number of AI and/or human players until you get a sense for what your PC and internet connection can handle.
🛠 Set your region when creating a multiplayer lobby.
Distance might make the heart grow fonder, but it doesn’t do great things for your P2P connections!
You can also find more information on how to optimize your PC settings in the Tips for Optimizing your Age of Empires Experience section, above.