Age of Wonders 4: Throne of Blood

No other game in the Age of Wonders series has received as many expansions as Age of Wonders 4, and the game's developers, Triumph Studios, and publisher, Paradox Interactive, are continuing to release more. This comes as no surprise, given that the fantasy strategy game was one of the publisher's top-selling games from January to September 2025.

The expansion Throne of Blood is a central element of Expansion Pass 3, due to be released in the third year after the game's release (2023). The DLC adds a new vampire ruler type to Age of Wonders 4. Players can rise as a vampire, build their dark empire in the shadows and dominate the realms by wielding ancient blood magic.

Throne of Blood features a vampire ruler (in one form), new tomes, wildlife units and a new story realm that delves into the origins of the Elder Vampires. This includes new skill trees filled with dark abilities; a Vampire's Castle, which takes the place of the Wizard Tower and features exclusive city structures; the power to transform recruited heroes into vampiric servants; and Ritual Spells that harness Thralls as arcane fuel. There are also three new tomes centred around magic that drains enemies, bolsters allies and uses foes' pain to grow more powerful. The new narrative content includes quest chains that pursue the fate of Lost Souls, as well as a new story realm that delves into the birth of all vampirekind. However, the scope is a little underwhelming. New map features include the dark Sunless Lands, new gothic Ancient Wonders and Landmarks, and the magic-infused Blood Glass material. There are also new wildlife units featuring hordes of the undead, devouring maggots and swarms of bats.

The Gargoyle update was launched alongside the release of Throne of Blood for Age of Wonders 4. Key features include upgraded tutorials and onboarding, new Item Forge and Pantheon options, and a comprehensive Dark Culture rework focusing on evil cults and their ambitions (see Change-Log).

Age of Wonders 4: Throne of Blood was released on 11 November 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, priced at €19.99. The expansion is also available as part of Expansion Pass 3, priced at €49.99. This pass contains three major DLCs and one minor DLC. The minor DLC, Cosmic Wanderer, is already available and includes a new premade Ruler character, new cosmetic options for costumes and items, new hero loadouts, and a new Society Trait. One of the three major DLCs is Throne of Blood. The other two are Rise from Ruin and Secrets of the Archmages. The former is scheduled for release in Q1 2026 and will introduce a new culture: the Nomads. This culture is uniquely suited to surviving and thriving in the Withered Worlds present in this expansion, alongside new tomes, environments and wildlife. Expansion Pass 3 will conclude with Secrets of the Archmages in Q2 2026, a story-focused DLC pack that explores the hidden arts and tales of Athla's renowned Wizard Kings, granting access to their tomes and realms.

Conclusion

Age of Wonders 4: Thrones of Blood is a powerful vampire-themed expansion to the popular fantasy strategy game. Nothing more, nothing less.

Features

• Thematically very fitting and stylish, vampire-themed expansion
• Excellent design options for the ruler
• New narrative content, new tomes, a new story realm, and a unique skill tree of dark abilities