Microsoft Confirms Ensemble Studios’ Pending Closure
By Chris on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 2:01 AM PST In Computer, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Games, Games Industry, Halo, Microsoft, Microsoft
Following a number of reports that indicated Halo Wars developer Ensemble Studios would be closing following the release of the Halo-themed RTS yesterday, Microsoft confirmed that it would be closing the developer best known for its work on the Age of Empires series.
An official statement (via Gamasutra) confirming the news reads in part:
“Microsoft has decided to close Ensemble Studios following the completion of Halo Wars. After the closure, the Ensemble leadership team will form a new studio and has agreed to provide ongoing support for Halo Wars as well as work on other projects with Microsoft Game Studios.
The team at Ensemble has made invaluable contributions to the games industry with their Age of Empires and Age of Mythology games and with the highly anticipated release of Halo Wars. This decision does not reflect at all on Ensemble’s talent or the quality of Halo Wars. in fact, many people who have had a chance to test drive Halo Wars agree that it is on track to being a fantastic game.
This was a fiscally-rooted decision that keeps MGS on its growth path. While the decision to dissolve Ensemble was not an easy one, Microsoft is working to place as many Ensemble employees who do not move to the newly formed studio into open positions within Microsoft as possible.”
It’s reassuring to hear that at least some of Ensemble’s staff will continue to support Halo Wars even after the company is closed but it doesn’t make the announcement of a storied developer closing its doors after more than a decade any less shocking.
Hopefully those fired will start a new company, keeping the same gameplay and such as the AoE series.
WTF?! The studio produces one of, if not the, best loved franchies in PC gaming (Age of Empires) and they close it? Makes a ton of sence. Fucking Microsoft…
This isnt right
They should of never made Halo Wars
They spend to much time and is leaveing Aoe3
I donno what to do after I bought 4 games from them and have 5+ accounts
MrMario, your points are valid but you sound like a fucking dumbass idiot.
WHAT? Will this be the end of Age of Empires? Or a potential Halo Wars sequel?