Microsoft Game Studios announces that Big Huge Games' Thrones and Patriots expansion for the epic RTS gameplay in their Rise of Nations is now gold, and slated to ship on April 27:

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that Rise of Nations®: Thrones and Patriots has gone gold and is scheduled to ship to stores on April 27 for an estimated retail price of $29.95 (U.S.). Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots, the expansion pack to the critically acclaimed, best-selling real-time strategy (RTS) game Rise of Nations, adds a barrage of new features to the original game. Combining the epic scope of traditional turn-based strategy games with the fast-paced action of RTS games, Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots enables players to explore 6,000 years of history as they amass powerful armies, build prosperous economies and perform acts of diplomacy.

Developed by Brian Reynolds and Big Huge Games, Thrones and Patriots adds the Americans, Persians and four other new nations; as well as four new historical single player campaigns, including Napoleon and the Cold War. The expansion adds more than 20 new units, such as massive Persian war elephants and US Marines. Players will also be able to build new strategic wonders and create governments for their nation. After creating a government, any nation, old or new, can choose exactly how to be governed, which has far-reaching effects on how units perform in various situations. The all-new single player campaigns will allow gamers to control the course of history during historical events that changed the world. For more information about Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots, please visit the official site at http://www.microsoft.com/games/thronesandpatriots/.