How is it that a game from 1999 has enjoyed such a resurgence? Saved by the FansĪoE2 released to strong sales and reviews but, after a 2002 mythological spinoff and a divisive third installment in 2005, developer Ensemble Studios moved on to Halo Wars before folding. It’s the largest AoE2 tournament since last year’s Hidden Cup 3, which peaked at 57,922 viewers, but the biggest prize pool before that dates back to 2002. From March 18 th to 21 st, 16 Age of Empires 2 players will compete for Hidden Cup 4’s nearly $68,000 prize pool.