This weekend marks the start of the Age of Empires 4 Open Beta. We'll let you know when, how, and what kind of content you can expect.

Everything you need to know about the AoE 4 beta
The Age of Empires 4 Open Beta begins this Friday and runs until the end of the month. The following are the exact dates and times:
The beta will begin on Friday, September 17, 2021.
The beta period will end on September 20, 2021.

How do I participate?
Every PC player can take the new technical stress test for the strategy game. There's no need for a separate invitation or anything like that. You have two options for participating in the Age of Empires 4 Open Beta.

Visit the Steam page for Age of Empires 4. By selecting "Request access" under "Participate in the Age of Empires IV Technical Stress Test game test" from the purchase options, you can gain access to the beta.

Microsoft's Xbox Insider Hub provides the following information: You can request access to the open beta by using the "Preview" tab in the corresponding PC app. The Microsoft Store offers the Xbox Insider app for download. There's still time to register: You can register for it, before the Open Beta of Age of Empires 4 begins on Friday.

What are the system requirements?
If you want to take part in the Open Beta of Age of Empires 4, your PC must of course meet the minimum requirements of the strategy game. They are quite moderate, so hopefully, you shouldn't have any problems:
Operating system: Windows 10 - 64 bit
CPU: Intel Core i5-6300U or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
GPU : Intel HD 520 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 11
RAM: 8GB
DirectX: Version 12

What can I expect in terms of content?
Age of Empires 4's developers have already revealed what content you can expect on the official website. So, in the Open Beta, be ready for the following content:
the tutorial of the game »Mission Zero«
Multiplayer matches against other players
Matches against the AI via the Multiplayer Custom Lobby
four playable races: China, England, the Holy Roman Empire, the Abbasid Dynasty
By the way, we have summarised in a practical overview all of the factions that end up in the finished game and what information is known about them. Take a look yourself:

What has been improved since the closed beta?
A few weeks ago there was already a closed beta phase for Age of Empires 4, to which not every fan had access. On the homepage, the developers name three specific aspects that have been addressed since then:

The maximum distance to which the camera can zoom out of the map has been adjusted. This should give you a better overview when playing.
 
The balancing has been tightened, especially with regard to the factions of China and England.
Numerous bugs affecting various aspects of the game have been fixed. We are talking about visual and auditory errors, as well as bugs that affect the settings of the game or the in-game economy.

What else is there to know?
The developers want your feedback: The people in charge of Age of Empires 4 hope that as many players as possible will take part in the open beta. After all, the feedback and the technical stress test are immensely valuable in preparing for the final release on October 28, 2021. That's why the developers also want you to share as much feedback and game impressions as possible - ideally in the official Age of Empires 4 forums. You can publicly exchange your game impressions and share them with friends and the world. The game has already been criticized by many players, which is no cause for panic for the developers.