age-of-empires-iii-complete-collection posts

A free multiplayer server software product and service that many PC gamers might not even know exists is celebrating its 1 million player this week. Australia-based GameRanger announced today that its 1 millionth player signed up to use the software on Sunday morning.

Originally launched in 1999 as an Mac gaming alternative to server browser software products like GameSpy, GameRanger expanded to include support for PC games in 2008. Today GameRanger supports over 600 PC games, close to 200 Mac games and 29 games that are cross-platform compatible. Last month over 3.2 million online games were player via the GameRanger client.

Microsoft may have unceremoniously shut down Ensemble Studios earlier this year but the Age of Empires RTS series that Ensemble first created is still getting some attention from Microsoft. Today the company announced a new collection of Age of Empires III and its two expansion packs that will be released to stores on September 15.

The Complete Collection won't have any new content but if you haven't picked up the original game or its Warchiefs or Asian Dynasties expansion pack this would be a perfect way to catch up on one of the best PC RTS game series ever made Microsoft has said it has some kind of future plans for the Age series but so far there's been no word on what form that might take.