Microsoft Closing Ensemble

[Siraris]

Being a huge Age of Empires fan, this news makes Siraris cry. Not much more to say, especially since I can't really read what I'm typing anymore through my tears.

Confirmation has come fast in regard to rumors surfacing earlier today that Microsoft would be closing its internal developer Ensemble Studios upon the completion of sci-fi real-time strategy game Halo Wars. In a statement issued today, Microsoft confirmed that Ensemble will be shut down once the Xbox 360-exclusive RTS set in the best-selling Halo franchise ships out early next year.

The thing that shocks me the most is that Ensemble says they plan on forming a new studio and working with Microsoft to publish their games. Last time someone slapped me in the face, I didn't go running back into their arms at the first chance I got.

[Viking Horse]

Even ignoring the slap in the face, does it even make sense to do it this way? I suppose there may be some important reason I don't know about or am overlooking, but it would seem easier just to let Ensemble break away or something, similar to Bungie.

[Kryopsis]

How does it even make sense? Ensemble was Microsoft's most successful studio. Age of Empires 1 is reason why Microsoft Gaming Studio was on the map to begin with. There must be something else to this.

[Savok]

"Leadership team"?

Well that explains that then.

[GrinR]

This sounds like a licensing and branding change and not much more. It says to me that Microsoft is no longer serious about running a games development division, which is not really so bad.

[roboninja]

Originally Posted by Kryopsis

How does it even make sense? Ensemble was Microsoft's most successful studio. Age of Empires 1 is reason why Microsoft Gaming Studio was on the map to begin with. There must be something else to this.

My guess is that they found out during the dev of Halo Wars that RTS games simply do not play well on consoles, so MS is no longer interested in them. If it is not on 360, MS does not want to be a part of it.

[Shadowstorm]

What the hell! This is one of my favorite devs! What a surprise!

[biosc1]

MS is just continuing their trend of contracting out their labour instead of owning it outright. A lot of the development teams on the MS campus are really just employees working for companies that have contracts with MS. MS is shrinking their "work force" so that they feel more flexible if hard times hit. Much easier to cancel a contract than to lay off a bunch of folk.

[Badger]

This sounds more like down-sizing to me. Without any new games in the pipeline for the Ages franchise, all they've got on the horizon is Halo Wars and it's possible expansions. Damn shame they had to shed the Ensemble name in the process though.