These essays use the term "Age of Empires" to describe actual historical periods and the lingering effects of imperial structures on modern politics. The Age of Empires Theory of History - Wars Of Future Past
: A research article in Press Start that explores how the online community values "heroic play"—taking risks for the sake of the narrative or "the legend"—over purely efficient, competitive strategies. Historical and Geopolitical Perspectives
: This academic paper from Eludamos analyzes how the game mechanics impose Western colonialist aesthetics and linear timelines even when players take on the role of Indigenous cultures.