Originally posted by Windows98 RTM Release:

I recommend everyone to buy this one asap before they also remove from the storefront.

This won't happen.

There has been no changes affecting HD version in anyway since release of 2019 and Microsoft has stated they want keep this version available when DE released.

I already owne the disk version AND DE
(paid 3 times for this game by now)

but you did notice every sale when all the AoE games go on sale... this one does not.. where in the past it did.
despite already being more expensive than DE (DE = priced the same, but it has the 3 dlc included that in this game you still have to buy)

retired likely is to make clear "we don't do anything anymore to this one" so forget sales for this again ever...

steam also recently abadoned windows 7 and 8 support..
meaning that any games that no work on 10 or 11 will just have stopped working if theoretically they still run fine on the os they are made on.. you can no longer launch them on 7 or 8.

any game you sell must work with current windows versions...
while this is a game from 1999-2001.. originally this release was from 2013.. before windows 10 excisted.. and it needed support to get it to run on 10.
there is a very high chance it already will not work on windows 11.. and as microsoft plans to end-of-life windows 10 in 2025... it might very well just declare it retired.. so that when it eventually get bricked.,.. they not have to fix it.

why not pull it from the store?
-> well if it still makes you money why would you?
***if people are willing to buy full price for this + full price for 3 dlc.. aka 50 euro.. while they can have all that in the DE version for 5... when it's at 75% discount.. well you just let them..

you just make very sure any chance on updates or sales for this version is zero.