Paradox Interactive released The Silver Seas for Age of Wonders 4 on November 3, 2026. The publisher says the expansion is available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Paradox lists its suggested price at $24.99, £20.99 or €24.99, with access also included in Expansion Pass 4. However, a separate Manta Update brings changes to all owners of the base game without an expansion purchase, according to Triumph Studios.
What The Silver Seas adds
Triumph’s launch notes separate the paid content from the free changes. The comparison below shows which release contains the main additions.
| Release | Access | Selected changes |
|---|---|---|
| The Silver Seas | Paid expansion | Mercantile culture and floating cities; Aqualon and Sharkkin forms; four spell tomes |
| Manta Update | Free for base-game owners | Trade Routes; ocean outposts; revised water combat; Sword & Staff equipment |
Source: Triumph Studios on Steam
Data as of: 2026-11-03
The new culture belongs to the expansion; Trade Routes are part of the free update.
In The Silver Seas, Paradox says players can choose between two branches of the Mercantile culture. For example, the Cartel uses hidden smuggling routes, while the Barony relies on wealth, armies and bounties on enemies.
In addition, Triumph’s notes describe pirate settlements with captains who have different personalities. Players can gain their allegiance for access to treasures and units, or face raids on their trade routes and territory.
Player requests shaped the new forms
Tom Bird, game director at Triumph Studios, said on Xbox Wire that player requests helped shape the maritime theme. The Mercantile culture lets players build cities at sea and develop them into floating fortresses, he said.
Bird said the Aqualon grew from concept art shared during work on the earlier Eldritch Realms expansion. As a result of that feedback, the team returned to the design. Requests for shark-like people also helped inspire the Sharkkin, according to Bird.
Free trial begins November 5
Triumph says the free Manta Update lowers the cost of embarking and lets players build outposts on ocean tiles. Its Trade Routes system links cities with outposts, free cities and other empires. These changes reach base-game owners alongside the paid release.
The studio plans a free-play period for Age of Wonders 4 on Steam and Xbox from November 5 to November 9, 2026. Its announcement sets the start and end at 10 a.m. Pacific time, or 7 p.m. Central European time.
Sources: Paradox Interactive, Triumph Studios on Steam, Xbox Wire
