| Mail |
You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more
PS3
XBOX
Wii
3DS
PSP
PC
Mobile
Move
Kinect

Reader Comments (32)

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:15PM Tephlon said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!


*cry*


=(
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:24PM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Don't worry, it's not like they're out of job. Which kind of a company wouldn't want to have Ensemble staff working for them!?

Hopefully they'll go to Relic and work on new DoW.
Reply

Posted: Sep 12th 2008 12:56PM BigDaddyBooth said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Well, that's sad.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:23PM Ignatius said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Thanks for making our game, in appreciation, here is your assorted gifts, an extra bonus in your paycheck and your pinkslip. Get the hell out.

Ah, Microsoft, so kind to its underlings.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:24PM jake11 said

  • 3 hearts
  • Report
that's too bad. i really love the age of empires series. They were my first RTS games.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:25PM In A World said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
But... but... *sob* just give me a remake of Age of Empires 2.... *sob*
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 8:50PM linkman2004 said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Amen, brother. Best game in the series.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:29PM (Unverified) said

  • 1 heart
  • Report
I'm sure the Ensemble guys really are appreciating the Microsoft bigwig, who canceled the Halo MMO project they were working.

That one showed some real long-term strategic vision.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:31PM (Unverified) said

  • 1 heart
  • Report
Well that gives a good feeling about this game.




Damn it,Age of empires 2 and its expansion was one of the best games I've ever played.

Oh yeah

REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ


If its right it should say AOE Age of Empires FTW.

REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZREZ REZ
REZ REZ REZ REZ REZ

Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:33PM (Unverified) said

  • 1 heart
  • Report
Why this stuff never works in Joystiq.

I'm gonna miss them.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:33PM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
I believe, we're gonna have to report you.It hurts us, but it's for your own safety.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 9:30PM Dr Stabbingworth said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I liked Mr. ESC, but you're giving them a really good reason to never unban you, and I don't blame them.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:30PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Why is microsoft getting rid of all of their first party developers.

Bizzare
FASA
Bungie


And now Ensemble, I think there are more, I just cannot remember.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 6:11PM Withad said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
They seem to be much more concerned about IPs than developers. They kept Halo when Bungie went, PGR when Activision bought Bizarre and I think they've still got a few of the FASA IPs (Crimson Skies and maybe some others). If this rumour's true, they'll presumably still have all the "Age Of..." rights.

Someone really ought to explain to them what can happen to a brand when the good products aren't there to back it up. Maybe someone should put them in touch with Sonic Team...
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 7:04PM falcomadol said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Bizarre was never owned by Microsoft, and even while they were doing PGR for Microsoft, they were still doing multi-platform titles for other publishers.

Sad to see Ensemble go, you have to wonder why...seemed like they had nothing but successes.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 8:42PM Clatu6 said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Why?

Because MS is a business and it needs it's seperate divisions to make money for the shareholders. I assume they are trying to reduce costs to help offset the cost for the xbox price cuts recently announced.

It looks like MS believes that first party titles are better created with independent third parties under contract.

It sucks. I too work for the big corporate machine and shareholders is all that management ever seems to think about. I hope those laid off find new jobs soon, the holidays are far too near.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:30PM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
In all honesty, I'm not sure why MS would want to close Ensemble in first place.Unless they simply intend to transfer them to a different studio or do as little as rename their company, I think it's better to stick to the "RUMOR!!!" part of the story.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:32PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Hrm, kinda weird in the age of "3rd party exclusives don't matter, 1st parties is where it's at".

You'd think they'd be stomping MORE studios out of the ground instead of shutting them down.

I mean, MS has money, right?
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 6:04PM erwos said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
That's because it's BS, and Microsoft knows it. Where do you think a third party is going to put most of their effort - on a platform with strong first party games, or one with very few? Think about it.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:35PM Clinton O said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
wwwwwwwoooooooowwwww i didnt think they would do that to a studio thats making that game out of all the ones they could choose from. now who will we rely on for good halo games. i know one studio that we cant gear...
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:40PM PS36020 said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
the thing i see from this and from the Bungie situation is that developers don't like working directly for Microsoft as their publisher, they just rather work with MS as a publisher period. It also makes me wonder what other companies might think of this and the Bungie matter. If this happens to be true and I was a developer that MS wanted to buy I don't think i would accept their offer, money is good but not if I don't enjoy doing what i love doing.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:49PM Delgadoh said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I think a lot of you guys are looking into this too much. Bungie even said they liked working for Microsoft, and MS still has a few publishers under their belt.

Not all business decisions are ominous.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:47PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

who will make age of empires 4 . *sob* *sob*

the saddet part is that I really do feel like starting to sob for real .
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:49PM Uraeus said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Sounds weird. Unless they think Halo Wars sucks, and thus concluding that the studio doesn't got any talent anymore, why on earth would they close this studio? And even if they do think it sucks, why keep it going to finish the game? This got to be a false rumour.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:52PM captcarl said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
D:

Poor Ensemble. May you join the awesomeness ranks of FASA and Origin.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 5:52PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
It seems like a bad idea to cause drama at a studio before they're finished with a big game.

Wouldn't it make sense to like, wait until these guys are actually done to break do this?
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 6:01PM Nineset said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Well, probably means no download content just like shadowrun. Very disappointing.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 7:47PM Snowman said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Wow...this seems so crazy. Are RTS's on the down these days?
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 7:45PM Jacksons said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
What the hell? That rumor better be false.
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 7:52PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Develop like there's no tomorrow, Ensemble! Oh wait, there is no tomorrow!
Reply

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 9:00PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I call BS. The Age series is still pretty lucrative and on going (Age3 is still in top sellers and they just produced a second x-pack that sold quite well), plus they have a new IP that is being pushed hard by MS. Maybe ES and Big Huge Games (also a MS owned RTS-maker) are being merged, and the layoffs are because of that, but Microsoft would be retarded to shoot one of their golden geese.
Reply

Posted: Sep 10th 2008 3:55PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
MS owns HALO....
ms is learning from nintendo and sega that IP and owning a franchise is very important and can mean making money for many years to come from 1 name.
running a studio costs millions yearly.
keeping an IP stored in a safe costs nothing.
Reply
Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Featured Stories

The Joystiq Show - 024: Kingdoms of Double Fine

Posted on Feb 10th 2012 1:15PM

Shank 2 review: Refined brutality

Posted on Feb 10th 2012 11:45AM

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW