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

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I can’t believe Age of Empires 2 is still being updated in 2026! But honestly, a lot of us fans are pretty upset about the newest addition. They’ve added a voice chat feature that secretly records and writes down everything we say, and nobody knew it was happening. It’s a bit creepy, to say the least!

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is an updated version of the classic strategy game from the 1990s, now compatible with today’s computers and boasting an active online community. The game continues to receive updates, with the upcoming ‘The Last Chieftains’ downloadable content releasing on February 17, 2026, and introducing medieval South African civilizations for players to command.

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition recently received not only the ‘Last Chieftains’ update, but also a long-awaited feature: voice chat in multiplayer games and lobbies. However, many players haven’t noticed this addition and are expressing frustration online about information being shared through unofficial sources on the game’s Reddit page.

Age Of Empires 2 Turns On Voice Chat Without Asking

Good news for Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition players! Voice chat and a speech-to-text feature are now available in the game. You can find details on how to turn these features off on the official Age of Empires website.

Players are discovering the voice chat feature is turning on automatically, without them agreeing to it. This is causing people to unknowingly broadcast their conversations to everyone else in their game or lobby, essentially sharing private discussions publicly.

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition recently received more than just The Last Chieftains update; players can now use voice chat during multiplayer games, even in the lobby before matches begin.

People on Reddit are noticing that phone numbers are being spoken aloud during calls, thanks to the automatic transcription feature. This has sparked concerns that Microsoft might be collecting this information to improve its AI.

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We hope this issue is fixed quickly. If personal information is exposed, users could be at risk of various harms.

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2026-02-20 03:39