Microsoft yesterday announced that a new edition to its famous Age of Empires (AOE) franchise is in the making, and this time the series is heading for the online market with Age of Empires Online.

The announcement came on the eve of the Gamescom 2010 gaming and technology expo in Cologne Germany, where more details are expected to be revealed soon.

“Today we’re bringing powerful, inventive gaming experiences to the Windows-based PC,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios.

And the statement rings true as gamers around the world revel in the announcement that the AOE franchise is to be reinvented.

Developed by Robot Entertainment, AOE Online is set to take players to an always on, living, breathing virtual world. Specific information on the game is limited thus far, but we do know that players will be able to begin their journey as the Greek civilization, watching their empires grow from a tiny village into  a veritable ancient metropolis.

Players will be able to embark on quests, alone or together with friends as they immerse themselves in the ‘epic tales, quirky characters, adventure, history and strategy’, that makes up the AOE experience.

Among the features of the game will be a persistent online capital city that will continue to grow even when the player is offline. Cooperative multiplayer quests, trading and a level-based ranking system will also be included and fans of the series will be happy to learn about the inclusion of ‘familiar AOE gameplay’.