When Microsoft announced they were acquiring Double Fine Productions, they also quietly announced another exciting bit of news – they’ve opened up a new development studio dedicated entirely to the Age of Empires franchise.

The new studio is being led by Shannon Loftis (general manager of Xbox Entertainment Studios) and Peter Wyse (GM, Senior VP of Xbox Entertainment Studios).

“We are committing more resources and dedicated leadership to the Age of Empires franchise to ensure that its legacy on PC continues in service of the passionate community of faithful fans,” the update reads.

It’s worth reiterating Age of Empires 4 is currently in development by Relic Entertainment, and will be published by Microsoft Studios – with a release probably coming sometime next year.