Uni Würzburg

What makes
a great
AoE2 Player?

We analyzed millions of AoE2 matches to uncover the science of team success. Now we want to connect your in-game stats to your real-world profile.

Take the Survey
Scroll

The Research: What We Discovered in the Data

Researchers at the University of Würzburg recently analyzed over 1.6 million team-based matches in Age of Empires 2. By comparing expected outcomes with actual results, we discovered that raw technical skill like actions per minute (eAPM) and Solo Elo does not tell the whole story.

We confirmed the existence of a definitive "Team Player Effect". Certain individuals systematically improve their team's win rate far beyond what their individual mechanical abilities would predict.

Furthermore, the data revealed two critical multipliers:

  • Familiarity Breeds Success: The team player effect is amplified when teams have prior shared experiences.
  • Scaling Complexity: As team sizes grow (e.g., 3v3 or 4v4), individual execution becomes less decisive, and these unobserved social and coordinative skills become increasingly critical.
AoE2 building

The Next Age: Why We Need You

We have proven that the Team Player Effect exists in the high-stakes, dynamic environment of AoE2. Now, we want to understand the human element behind the data. What real-world traits create an in-game catalyst?

If you meet the minimum match threshold in our database, we invite you to participate in a follow-up survey. By matching your gameplay data with your personality profile, you will help us map how virtual teamwork translates to real-world collaboration and leadership.

The survey takes just a few minutes and explores:

  • Social Intelligence: How you read situations, process social cues, and exercise empathy.
  • Personality & Perseverance: Core traits like agreeableness, honesty, and your "grit" or determination to push through tough matches.
  • Collaboration Orientation: Your natural preferences for teamwork versus independent execution.
  • Initiative & Leadership: How often you step up to make decisions or propose plans in chaotic, unstructured situations.
  • Professional Reality: A brief look at your real-world career, team size, and management responsibilities to see how gaming skills align with professional roles.
AoE2 map

Contribute to science and find out what kind of AoE2 player you are. As a thank you, you'll get your own player report — your stats, your percentile ranks and where you sit against everyone else. Your responses are pseudonymous — stored under your Steam ID, never your name — and used for academic research only. See our privacy notice.

FAQ

Why do I need to Sign-In with Steam?

To uncover your specific "Team Player" stats, we have to link your survey answers to your actual in-game performance. Steam's secure login authenticates your public ID to our database so we can match your match history. We never see your password or personal account details.

What happens to my data?

Your survey responses are stored pseudonymously: they are linked to your Steam ID, which lets us match them to your public gameplay record, but never to your name or email. Because that link exists, the data counts as personal data under the GDPR, and you keep every right that comes with it — including asking us to delete your response. The data is used solely for academic research at the University of Würzburg and is never sold or passed to advertisers. Full detail, including where it is hosted and how long we keep it, is in our privacy notice.

Who is behind all of this?

This project is conducted by a dedicated research group at the Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg. We are a team of economists and data scientists exploring how social skills and team familiarity impact performance in highly competitive, temporary teams.

Do I need a specific Elo to participate?

Not at all! The "Team Player Effect" exists across all skill brackets. Whether you are a 900 Elo casual player or a 2K+ competitive grinder, your data is incredibly valuable to our research. The only requirement is that you have played a minimum number of ranked team matches to be in our database.

How long does the survey take?

The survey is designed to be quick and straightforward. It generally takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete — less time than a Dark Age build order!

When will the results of the study be published?

(We plan to publish our preliminary findings in late 2026. If you are interested, you can opt-in at the end of the survey to receive a summary of the results once the paper is complete.)

Know an AoE2 player? Spread the word.