The game has seen a resurgence because of 1) the release of the HD and Definitive Editions of the game, with graphics and gameplay that still hold up 2) avail

The game has seen a resurgence because of 1) the release of the HD and Definitive Editions of the game, with graphics and gameplay that still hold up 2) availability on popular game stores like Steam (though it's a Microsoft game) 3) continuous balance patches, content updates, and occasional DLC 4) talented Twitch streamers and YouTubers casting games, commentary, and analysis (See T90Official and Spirit of the Law) 5) an active, mature, and welcoming player base on Reddit, Twitch, Discord, etc 6) frequent and varied tournaments with increasing prize pools (the recent Hidden Cup had the highest prize pool for an AoE2 tournament in 20 years)