Empire Deluxe Combined Edition
Released Jun 2018
Empire Deluxe Combined Edition is the latest in the classic Empire Series of games, which has spanned almost five decades. Empire Deluxe is a game about taking cities. Starting with just one, the city enables a commander to produce units. These units in turn can directly attack or support the attack of more cities.
91% positive · 179 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Where to buy
Steam $17.99 $19.99 −10%
Can't confirm — worth a look
We couldn't confirm these stores carry this game.
Green Man Gaming Steam key Search IndieGala Steam key Search Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site
Evaluation
Empire Deluxe Combined Edition graduated from Early Access to full release on June 1, 2018. Since then, Killer Bee Software — a solo indie developer — has released periodic patches and content updates, with notable builds shipped in October 2018 (Build 16, adding Fileshare multiplayer), November 2020 (Build 18, a substantial feature and bug-fix patch), and November 2021 (a holiday update adding converted legacy scenarios). The most recent developer communication is Build 19, posted on February 5, 2025, which addressed a server connectivity issue with the file-share system.
The developer has been candid about the realities of solo development. A November 2019 post acknowledged that personal life events had paused plans for additional platform versions and a follow-up game, and a November 2021 post noted continued limited availability while mentioning exploratory work on other designs. There are no unreleased DLC listings, no announced roadmap for future content, and no season pass or live-service structure. The store description frames the game as a complete, feature-rich package.
Looking at the overall post-launch pattern, updates have been infrequent and maintenance-focused rather than part of a sustained major-content cadence. Build 19 (February 5, 2025) resolved a specific infrastructure issue and represents the last known developer activity. With no outstanding content commitments and no cadence of recurring major releases to suggest more is coming, the game is best understood as a complete, finished product that the developer continues to support on an as-needed basis.
Evidence
Build 16 shipped with major Fileshare multiplayer feature and Unity engine upgrade.
Developer announced exit from Early Access with Build 14, describing the game as having reached full release quality. Noted intent to continue fixing issues and explore platform ports.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Killer Bee Software
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer
About this game
Empire Deluxe Combined Edition is the latest in the classic Empire Series of games, which has spanned almost five decades.
Empire Deluxe is a game about taking cities. Starting with just one, the city enables a commander to produce units. These units in turn can directly attack or support the attack of more cities. Your imperialistic desires are not satisfied until you have taken every city on the map.
Then there is an added complication:
There can be multiple opponents with the same goal. You cannot work with them to capture all of the cities. They don't want to work with you. You must work against them. You spend a good amount of time preventing them from taking your cities, and you try your best to capture their cities.
So come back to the classic 4x strategy wargame that has inspired so many other games!
Empire Deluxe is a game about taking cities. Starting with just one, the city enables a commander to produce units. These units in turn can directly attack or support the attack of more cities. Your imperialistic desires are not satisfied until you have taken every city on the map.
Then there is an added complication:
There can be multiple opponents with the same goal. You cannot work with them to capture all of the cities. They don't want to work with you. You must work against them. You spend a good amount of time preventing them from taking your cities, and you try your best to capture their cities.
So come back to the classic 4x strategy wargame that has inspired so many other games!
Features include
- 4 Built-In Unit Sets, each a progression from the previous: Basic, Standard, Advanced and Enhanced.
- Anywhere from 6 to 30 unit types, some including land, naval, air, submarine, artillery, engineers, satellites, missiles unit types.
- 3 uniquely different AI players
- Optional additional rules and victory conditions.
- Maps of virtually unlimited size
- Play Solitaire or Against Humans in Hot Seat, Email and Network Play.
- Built-In map/scenario editor.
- Built-In Unit Set Modification Editor allows you to make adjustment to the unit sets.
- AI player source code available online to make your own AI players.
- World Building C# source code available online to make your own map makers.
- Hours of Fun, for many even as much as hundreds or thousands! And a game you may still be playing in 2045 on Mars. (Interplanetary play not yet implemented).
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 27, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content