How to Play Age of Empires Online

Last Updated: December 22, 2021

Age of Empires is a popular computer game that was first released in 1997, with multiple age-related versions such as The Conquerors, The Rise of Rome, The Asian Dynasties, and Age of Mythology. Originally, each of these games could be played multiplayer via an online server, but the servers for most of these games were shut down several years ago. As a result, you cannot play The Conquerors, The Rise of Rome and Age of Mythology in the multiplayer version online using the original server, without an LAN (local area network) connection. However, you can use a few third-party websites which support the game, to play multiplayer version of the game in chat rooms.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Voobly

1
Go to the website. Voobly is a third-party game hosting website that allows you to play multiplayer versions of several games through their ‘game lobbies’. To start, open up www.voobly.com in your browser.
2
Download the voobly client. There is a button on the right side of the website that says ‘download voobly client’. Doing this will allow you to use the website for your multiplayer game. If a dialogue box opens prompting you to ‘run’ the file, click ‘run’.

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3
Create your account. You’ll next be prompted to create your username and password. Do so using a new username and password unique to the website and different from any you might use on other websites, since it may not be secured.
4
Download the lobby client. Before you can begin playing the game, you’ll next have to download the lobby client. This is the same process as downloading the voobly client - you’ll be supplied with the download link, which you click ‘run’ to allow.
5
Update the client, if necessary. Although you may have just downloaded the voobly client for the first time, the website may still prompt you to update it. Click the link to update the client, and allow it to run through completion.
6
Visit the game lobby. When the download is complete, click the link to enter the game lobby. Here, there will be a list of all the available games you can play, including all the versions of Age of Empires. Click the link for the game in order to be taken to its individual lobby.
7
Start or join a multiplayer game. Once you are in the lobby for your specific game, you have the opportunity to either create a multiplayer game, or to join an existing game. All the options are listed near the top of the lobby, with the open multiplayer games shown below that.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using GameRanger

1
Visit the GameRanger website. GameRanger is a third party website that allows you to start and join multiplayer games with friends, online. Start by downloading GameRanger, by clicking the large 'Download' button on their website which you can find at www.gameranger.com.
2
Create your account and join the community. Create your username and password on the website, and go through the set-up options that you are prompted with. To play the game you want, you have to find the '.exe File' from your Age of Empires download, so GameRanger can start the game immediately after the host of the game starts.
3
Locate the Age of Empires server. Find the Age of Empires 3 servers and look for games which aren't currently playing or don't already have the maximum number of players (or you host a new server and wait for players to join). When you've found a room, you can communicate with the other players there. The host will start the game and GameRanger opens Age of Empires 3 and you can join the other players and play with them. If you liked the battle with these people, you can add them to your friend-list on GameRanger.
4
Host an online game room. If you want to play just with your friends over the Internet you can use GameRanger and only allow them to join or you use Hamachi. Hamachi is a platform where players can host "Online-Rooms" and people can join this room if they have internet and the password. To play Age of Empires 3 via Hamachi, you need an extra program called AoE3Loader. It connects the game with Hamachi. I don't really know why you need AoE3Loader to play via Hamachi, but it doesn't work without AoE3Loader.
- When you and the other players downloaded AoE3Loader and are all in the Hamachi-Room, you start the game manually (it doesn't open Age of Empires 3 by itself like GameRanger does) and you host or join like in a normal game.^{[2]
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Community Q&A

Question

How can I play Age of Empires Online on my PC without the CD?

Community Answer

You can download a non-disk version from sites or programs such as Steam.
Question

I want to play Age of Empires with a friend in a different country and we both have the game discs, but I have limited internet speed. What is the best way to play the game together?

Community Answer

You need to make a server of your own or have him make his own server. Then you can call and ask him to join his server.