Age of Wonders 4 Expansion Explores the Seas
The Silver Seas adds ocean exploration, new sea Forms, and the Mercantile culture to Paradox Interactive's strategy game.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Gaming
Paradox Interactive has released The Silver Seas expansion for Age of Wonders 4, adding ocean exploration, two new sea Forms, creatures, and new map content. A free-to-play weekend on Steam and Xbox also begins Thursday.
Why it matters
The expansion shifts the game's strategic focus toward naval conquest and new trade systems, giving players new ways to build and compete on the seas. The free-to-play weekend lets players try the game before committing to the expansion.
The expansion includes four new Tomes, two new sea Forms, and a dwelling with three pirate captains, and is sold as the first part of Expansion Pass 4 or as a separate purchase. The source does not report prices or player numbers.
The players
Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive is a Swedish publisher known for grand strategy and historical games, and it publishes the Age of Wonders series.
The details
The Mercantile culture splits into the Cartel, which runs camouflaged smuggling routes, and the Barony, an aristocratic group that commands armies and places bounties. The expansion also adds creatures such as electrified crabs, the Hoarfrost Manta, and Accursed Wisp, plus the Tome of Eternal Ice, which lets players freeze the ocean.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: The Silver Seas expansion and the Manta base-game update launch.
Thursday: The free-to-play weekend begins on Steam and Xbox.
Culture Shift
Paradox Interactive's expansion-pass model, which sells content in tiers, continues here with The Silver Seas as the first part of Expansion Pass 4. The free-to-play weekend marks a departure by letting players sample the game before buying.
The expansion is available as the first part of Expansion Pass 4 or as a separate purchase. The free-to-play weekend on Steam and Xbox lets players try the base game without paying first.
The takeaway
Players curious about naval strategy can use the free-to-play weekend to test the base game's new Manta update and trade system before deciding whether the expansion is worth buying.
Further reading
Explore more on Gaming to see how strategy expansions like this one fit into the wider hobby.
