Microsoft Reportedly Closing Halo Wars Developer Ensemble Studios
By Chris on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 4:18 PM PST In Computer, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Games, Games Industry, Halo, Microsoft, Microsoft
If a rumor being reported by Shacknews proves to be true, Halo Wars and Age of Empires developer Ensemble Studios will soon be closing up shop in a move eerily similar to FASA Studio last year as it approached the release of Shadowrun. The story claims that multiple independent sources have indicated that Ensemble will be shutting down following the release of Halo Wars, currently slated for sometime in early 2009.
Ensemble staff who aren’t at work on Halo Wars have reportedly been laid off today, while those who are on the project “have been offered incentives to stay on the project until completion.” This certainly throws the game’s post-release support into question, especially considering Ensemble is a developer that traditionally favors releasing expansion packs.
The Microsoft-owned developer was founded in 1995. We’ve reached out to Ensemble for comment but have yet to receive any word back at this time.
That’s it. I’m over supporting Microsoft on the gaming market. I’ll only support their hardware. Age of Empire was the first RTS i ever played, and i’d still buy Age of Empires 3 if i could find it.
Oh, Microsoft, will you never learn how to actually run a remotely successful business?
You’re supposed to /keep/ the successful ones, y’see. Keep. Not fire. Keep.
Oh boy. Here we go again. It’s like Black Isle Studios all over again.
They could take lessons from Blizzard. Blizzard refused to be bought up, and instead banded together with the buyer. Though the deal was apparently best for Blizzard, since Activision still sucks at supporting their games.
Instead of cutting off the heads of the useless management or laying off the lazy do nothings in order to save some cash and “oops” forgetting they had not yet released a game that could potentionally be a huge seller they really blew it this time! They just let the whole company go, and disbanded one of the best RTS companies in the world. Can you say MORONS!
Nice fumble MSGS!
jeeez Microsoft the only thing I trust about ya guys is the OS you should learn from Blizzard and other game company’s they rock!
Well, the Activision-Blizzard partnership didn’t go without its hiccups. They canceled lots of games too, so it probably isn’t the best example.