Age of Empires 2 Added Voice Chat, but Forgot to Ask Permission

3 weeks ago 9

Published Feb 19, 2026, 7:09 PM EST

Scott Baird is a contributor with over a decade's experience writing about video games, along with board games and tabletop RPGs. Scott has previously worked for Dexerto, Cracked, Dorkly, and Gamepur.

Somehow, Age of Empires 2 is still getting updates in 2026, and not all of them are pleasant, as fans are in an uproar over the new voice chat feature, which records and transcribes conversations without the player's knowledge.

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is a revamped version of the '90s strategy game that is fully playable on modern platforms and has its own dedicated multiplayer community. In fact, the game is still receiving new DLC, with The Last Chieftains launching on February 17, 2026, adding medieval South African civilizations for players to use for their empires.

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Age of Empires 2 Is Apparently Being Playtested On PSN

Age of Empires 2 players have been spotted on the game's lobby with their platforms showing a PlayStation icon.

The Last Chieftains isn't the only addition to all versions of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition of late, as the game has finally added voice chat in multiplayer games, including lobbies. Unfortunately, many players aren't aware of this, and users on the game's official Reddit are complaining about leaked information online.

Age Of Empires 2 Turns On Voice Chat Without Asking

According to the thread and an update on the official Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition website, voice chat has been added to the game, along with speech-to-text. The official website has information on how to disable these features.

Users are reporting that it's already been switched on without their consent. This means that anyone talking while playing is broadcasting their personal business to everyone in their game or lobby without realizing they're on mic.

The Last Chieftains isn't the only addition to Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition of late, as the game has finally added voice chat in multiplayer games, including lobbies.

Users in the Reddit thread are reporting hearing phone numbers being given out, as the auto-transcription feature is ensuring that everything is being spelled out for everyone else. This has led to accusations that Microsoft is trying to steal information to train its AI software.

Hopefully, this feature is patched out, and fast. If users' personal information is leaked to the public, they're exposed to all kinds of potential dangers.