Which version of Age of Mythology: Retold should you preorder?

It's time to figure out how you're going to command mythological forces and unleash devastating abilities.

Age of Mythology: Retold from World's Edge and Xbox Game Studios is coming to Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PC, and there's more than one version of the game available for players to buy. I've broken down what you get with each version and what the most important factors are to consider.

Age of Mythology: Retold — Standard edition vs. Premium edition

There are two versions of Age of Mythology: Retold that are available on all platforms. The first, the Standard edition, simply includes the game for $30 when it launches on Sep. 4, 2024. There are no preorder bonuses to worry about or special cosmetics; it's just the game.

There's also a Premium Edition of Age of Mythology: Retold, which is available for $50. This version packs in several extras that the more hardcore fans will really want to have. Here's everything included:

• 7-day early access: Allowing you to begin playing on August 28
• New Gods Pack: Freyr, granting you Freyr as a new Major God choice for the Norse faction
• Legacy Deity Portrait Pack: Grants players the option to use the original deity portraits from Age of Mythology
• Expansion 1: A completely-rebuilt Chinese faction, launching later in 2024
• Expansion 2: A new faction, launching in 2025

Even if you don't care about playing a few days early with early access, the New Gods Pack: Freyr and the two expansions are a good reason to consider grabbing the Premium Edition. You're not locked away forever, though, and if you want to start with the Standard Edition, you can upgrade later if you change your mind.

That's where the Premium Upgrade option kicks in. This includes all the extras in the Premium Edition for $25, just not the original game. It's technically $5 more to get everything if you choose to buy the Standard Edition and then the Premium Update, but it's available as an option to give you some flexibility.

If you're a more casual strategy fan and you're not sure how long you'll spend playing the game, it's probably best to go with the Standard edition. More experienced strategy players (especially anyone who played the original game) will be better off grabbing the Premium Edition since it means getting access to new factions with new God Powers and myth units in the future.

Age of Mythology: Retold

Human civilizations intersect with legendary heroes and monsters in Age of Mythology: Retold. Powerful creatures like minotaurs and dragons clash in this remake of Ensemble's ambitious strategy game. The standard edition is available to preorder for $30, and is also included in Xbox Game Pass.

Preorder from: Best Buy | GreenManGaming | Walmart

Age of Mythology: Retold — Xbox Game Pass benefits

- Best Xbox headsets to get in 2024
- Best upcoming Xbox games
- Best gaming laptops in 2024
- Best Xbox controller deals
- Best Xbox hard drives
- Best Xbox SSDs

Like other new Xbox first-party games, Age of Mythology: Retold is launching day one into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Any subscribers will be able to play the standard edition starting on September 4 at no extra cost.

This is the same for other upcoming Xbox games from across the first-party studios at Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, and Xbox Game Studios. This lineup includes a number of games like Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 , Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed , id Software's DOOM: The Dark Ages , and many more.

Because of this, if you want to play the Premium Edition of the game while saving a bit of money, there is a neat workaround you can use. If you're subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, you can buy the Premium Upgrade. From there, you'll be able to play starting on August 28. You'll also get access to the other bonuses, such as the first two expansions. This method also works for other Xbox first-party games with standard editions and premium upgrades, such as Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield .

The downside of this approach, naturally, is that you need to stay subscribed. If you ever decide to leave your Xbox Game Pass subscription, then you won't be able to play Age of Mythology: Retold without buying it.