Two of the most legendary games under Microsoft's banner have received major content updates in the past week; in both cases, these expansions arrive some 25 years after the titles originally launched.
I'm talking, of course, about the remastered versions of Age of Empires 2 (Definitive Edition) and Diablo 2 (Resurrected). Sure, the remastered versions launched long after 1999 and 2001, respectively, but the continued support demonstrates just how long games can last when they're developed and maintained properly.
In the case of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, it's set to receive its latest "The Last Chieftains" content pack today, February 17. The expansion pack, as I still like to call it, delivers three new civilizations with three new campaigns.
For reference, Age of Empires 2 launched in 1999 with 13 civilizations. Since then, it has picked up 37 new playable civs, including the Mapuche, Muisca, and Tupi, arriving today.
On Diablo 2's side, last week brought a major surprise in the form of a "Reign of the Warlock" expansion with a new playable character, new items and runewords, new endgame content, and a ton of quality-of-life updates.
It's an update that adds many features long requested by the Diablo 2 community. More stash tabs, stackable currencies, new Ancients bosses, and more are great perks, and I'm sure many people would have gladly paid for them alone. But an entirely new class with new spells, runewords, and unique items? It's hard to believe it's true.
Why Microsoft's nostalgia gaming gamble is paying off
It'd be a mistake not to give Microsoft some kudos for how it's managing a couple of its biggest "nostalgia" gaming brands. Sorry to date anyone with that designation; I'm right there with you as a late-30s gamer.
Age of Empires 2 has never been in a better spot in terms of competitive and casual gameplay. Later this year, a massive Red Bull-sponsored tournament will host its grand finale at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and that's just one of the many competitions playing out in 2026.
Diablo 2, which I feared was headed for life support after the Blizzard acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, just received an update with far more content than I could have hoped for. If it sells well and the reactions are positive, Blizzard has signaled that it's happy adding even more content to the game.
You might be inclined to call this sort of thing a money grab targeting boomer and millennial nostalgia, and I see where that's coming from. These expansions are not free, and most of the excitement is coming from others who, like me, have a fair share of grey hairs.
But on the other hand, adding content and features that the community has demanded, in some cases for many years, is a great way to revive and maintain interest. How many of us would still be playing Age and Diablo without these revivals and continued support?
Evolution or preservation, Age of Empires 2 and Diablo 2 getting this much hype is lovely
With so many new games debuting with tons of hype, only to be a massive letdown at launch, there's certainly a safety to working with established games. But that can also sour very quickly if the updates aren't handled properly.
Just look at one of Blizzard's previous attempts at remastering Warcraft 3 as an example of it done the wrong way. Not only did Warcraft 3: Reforged completely replace the classic client, but it also stripped out features and blocked modding. It was a massive disappointment that is rarely mentioned five years later.
Microsoft is currently playing a tight game of preservation vs. evolution, and so far, I'd say it's working. The original games haven't gone away, and the new content is in line with what's expected from the titles.
That's thanks to the Diablo and Age of Empires dev teams creating these updates outside of a vacuum. Changes are carefully weighed and balanced with the help of prominent community members and players, and although the updates can't please everyone, the reception is almost always warm from the majority of gamers.
Looking forward, Halo: Campaign Evolved — a remake of 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved — is expected to launch sometime in 2026 to celebrate the game's 25th anniversary. Whether or not it revives the game faithfully remains to be seen, but there's certainly hope riding on the tails of Age of Empires 2 and Diablo 2.
Do you agree that Microsoft is handling Age of Empires 2: DE and Diablo 2: Resurrected properly? Do you have any concerns for their future or for the future of any of Microsoft's other games? Let me know in the comments section!
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