September 9, 2008
Report: Microsoft's Ensemble Studios Laying Off Non-Halo Wars Staff
Microsoft plans to shut down subsidiary developer Ensemble Studios after the release of its upcoming release Halo Wars, Gamasutra has learned from industry sources.
According to statements made by those sources, the majority of staff were laid off this morning. Shacknews is separately reporting that developers attached to the Halo Wars project have been offered incentives to remain at Ensemble until the game ships. Its last announced release projection was early 2009.
Founded in 1995 and located in Dallas, Ensemble is known for its long-running Age of Empires series of historically-themed PC real-time strategy games. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2001.
The company's most recent full game, Age of Empires III, was a commercial success with over two million copies sold, but it is less clear how its two subsequent expansion packs fared.
Speaking to Gamasutra, a Microsoft representative declined to issue a statement but claimed an official response is en route.
Damn
But hey, at least they are keeping the Halo dudes!
Halobox
So they're shutting off the studio after Halo Wars is completed?
The game must be terrible then...
I guess MS just doesn't care about PC development so much anymorewelcome to the year 2001
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.
They keep killing their own devs, they lose 3rd party devs, kill their own IPS (Shadow Run had massive potential), wtf are these guys doing?
Fuck MS, you stink of 20th Fox right now.
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.:lol
They keep killing their own devs, they lose 3rd party devs, kill their own IPS (Shadow Run had massive potential), wtf are these guys doing?
Fuck MS, you stink of 20th Fox right now.
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.
They keep killing their own devs, they lose 3rd party devs, kill their own IPS (Shadow Run had massive potential), wtf are these guys doing?
Fuck MS, you stink of 20th Fox right now.
wha? where you gonna go for more games? Sony? Nintendo?
Another blemish against the fratbox brand....Epic would first need to sell themselves to microsoft.
Epic games, take a look. This is you in five years. MS will chew you up and spit you out once Gears isn't money grubbing anymore.
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.
They keep killing their own devs, they lose 3rd party devs, kill their own IPS (Shadow Run had massive potential), wtf are these guys doing?
Fuck MS, you stink of 20th Fox right now.
wha? where you gonna go for more games? Sony? Nintendo?
Another blemish against the fratbox brand....Epic would first need to sell themselves to microsoft.
Epic games, take a look. This is you in five years. MS will chew you up and spit you out once Gears isn't money grubbing anymore.
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.
wha? where you gonna go for more games? Sony? Nintendo?
Damn right i'm gonna go to Sony. What does MS have for next year? Nothing that's what. Alan Wake is probably gonna look like the 2nd coming of Tomagoshi once MS has had their "new casual style" way with it.
Sony has Infamous man, that looks bitchin, and it has Killzone 2, that also looks bitchin. What does MS have?
Fucking Ninja Bladen. I'm bouncing, someone give me a Sony jacket, there's nothing else to be said about this MS joint that hasn't already been said for Afghanistan, it's bombed out and depleted.
:bow PS3 future :bow2
Next Xbox is fucked.
I'm jumping ship, fuck these guys, Xbox live ain't all that fuckheads, i want some games too. And Halo isn't enough.
They keep killing their own devs, they lose 3rd party devs, kill their own IPS (Shadow Run had massive potential), wtf are these guys doing?
Fuck MS, you stink of 20th Fox right now.
wha? where you gonna go for more games? Sony? Nintendo?
My feelings exactly. Its not like either of those are better (I say that as a big Wii supporter and PS3 owner).
In fact I find myself wanting to sell my PS3 lately, I use it mainly as a TVersity box and download a lot of demos that make me realise I don't want to buy the full games. I kind of wish Metal Gear had come out on 360 so I could have made the choice that has the better online service and more games readily available. I'm not buying into the LBP hype, but yeah that and some other stuff look pretty good. I just feel like a fucking idiot for spending £300+ on this thing.
What does Sony have next year? LBP? Empty promises. You might as well vote for McCain you knee-jerk distinguished mentally-challenged fellow.
also, it's pretty funny wrika is crying about a pc developer when he is mainly a console cigarillo.
drama distinguished effete fellows.
What does Sony have next year? LBP? Empty promises. You might as well vote for McCain you knee-jerk distinguished mentally-challenged fellow.
LBP is this year.
Sony has InFamous, Killzone 2, Tekken 6, Heavy Rain and God of War 3 as big 2009 titles.
And probably a new Uncharted too.
Imma slap Borys in the face with my penis.
QuoteLBP is this year.Barbie dress up dolls for Playstation fans! wooot!QuoteSony has InFamousmight actually be good
QuoteKillzone 2likely to be a good looking dung ballQuoteTekken 6also on x360QuoteHeavy Rain
Dragons Lair for the 2000s!QuoteGoW32010 - by which time will anyone of note still be working on that project? Bailout seems to be the key word there.QuoteAnd probably a new Uncharted too.Exhalted averageness , please shower me with a follow up of more average!
you forgot Wipeout HD
the stop gap game to tie up over to the REAL new wipeout - quickly knocked together in nigh on 3 years!
:Bow Cell - the best weapon against the PS3 :bow2
SHUT THE FUCK UP.
Mourn Ensemble. :'( :'( :'(
STFU borys, not one sfan posted before you until Zero Hero (who didn't post ANYTHING) on this fucking page.
Hey man I open this thread and instead of seeing ENSEMBLE talk I see LBP being thrown around.
Is this the magic PS3 saviour game that will shit up every single gaming thread until it releases?
:Bow Cell - the best weapon against the PS3 :bow2
QuoteEA should just snatch up all of them and let them open up a new studio.
is that how EA role though?
they've destroyed a fair few teams too :pouroutBullfrog
Ok, what the heck does the acronym SMH stand for.
Ok, what the heck does the acronym SMH stand for.
Ok, what the heck does the acronym SMH stand for.
How can SFAG distinguished mentally-challenged fellows turn a fucking PC developer dieing thread into a HYPE WORTHLESS PS3 SHIT THAT WONT SELL SHIT one?1. ensemble a PC dev.. working on a console exclusive RTS :lol. NONE of microsoft's disposable bitch companies can be considered PC devs -- at least not today. microsoft has been killing PC gaming and moving those resources to the xbox for quite a while now. get with the program, borys.
smh
SMH
I don't really give a fuck about 360 games from a strategy studio.
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54654
:(
WTF
I'm also amused that people would think that Halo Wars is going to tank. They're going to market this game like crazy, Halo sells like crazy, there's no way this game is going to bomb.
Relic + Valve + Blizzard = The Holy PC Trinity
Outside of the Halo stuff, you can expect more games from Rare, Mass Effect 2, Too Human 2, Crackdown 2 (hopefully).Ha ha, I'm curious what it was that possessed you to put Too Human 2 in that small list. I mean, do you REALLY believe that Silicon Knights could turn around and deliver a sequel in a year?! Even if they could, does anyone REALLY want more Too Human? :P OK, I could believe the second part, but it's the idea that Silicon Knights could deliver a sequel in a year that made me chuckle.
Ha ha, I'm curious what it was that possessed you to put Too Human 2 in that small list. I mean, do you REALLY believe that Silicon Knights could turn around and deliver a sequel in a year?! Even if they could, does anyone REALLY want more Too Human? :P OK, I could believe the second part, but it's the idea that Silicon Knights could deliver a sequel in a year that made me chuckle.I would buy it, but you are correct about SK. As you mentioned in other threads, the game has progressed very little, if at all, over the course of 3 years and even then the game is a bit of a technical mess. This righfully calls into question the aptitude of SK's programmers and designers.
Who the hell would fund Too Human 2 after Too Human 1?
Who the hell would fund Too Human 2 after Too Human 1?
Who the hell would fund Too Human 2 after Too Human 1?
If it is successful, then Microsoft still. Don't forget that Rare kept getting funds after Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Kameo, and PDZ.
I thought SK was with MS in some form?
Who the hell would fund Too Human 2 after Too Human 1?
Sega
Imma slap Borys in the face with my penis.