Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Game developers sound off on industry layoffs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/game-developers-sound-off-on-industry-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/game-developers-sound-off-on-industry-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/game-developers-sound-off-on-industry-layoffs/#commentsFiled under:


It's all too easy to forget that there are real people behind the power-ups we're so fond of collecting. Gamasutra has posted a sobering look at the industry, interviewing recently out-of-work employees from such companies as Eidos and Pandemic while putting faces on the disturbing number of layoffs that have impacted the business behind the games we play.

"In our industry, there's a relatively high chance that once your game is finished, the studio will make some cuts," noted David Lewis, a software test engineer at Ensemble, which will close its doors after Halo Wars (pictured) rolls out the door later this year. "But I had no reason to suspect that the whole studio would be closed." Even so, some, like recruiter T.J. Summers, believe that there is work to be had for those willing to stretch beyond their comfort zones and look for work in "new growth sectors" such as web or mobile. Still, we sympathize with those impacted, especially knowing that the drop off from developing AAA titles to Flash games has to be enough to lose your stomach.

JoystiqGame developers sound off on industry layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eidosensembleensemble-studiosensemblestudioshalo-warshalowarslayoffspandemicpandemic-studiospandemicstudiosMon, 12 Jan 2009 13:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq E3 hands-on: Halo Wars (Xbox 360)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-halo-wars-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-halo-wars-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-halo-wars-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: ,


After all this time we finally got to touch Halo Wars and ... it was good. There's visual polishing to be done, but the user interface (UI) is as intuitive as developer Ensemble Studios has been hyping since (what feels like) the time of the Forerunners. This is an RTS game clearly made for a console first.

The UI is incredibly intuitive. Left analog moves the camera, right analog zooms, A selects, X is the move/attack button and Y activates special moves. If you've played other RTS games ported to the Xbox 360, this is a very different experience.

Gallery: Halo Wars

Continue reading Joystiq E3 hands-on: Halo Wars (Xbox 360)

JoystiqJoystiq E3 hands-on: Halo Wars (Xbox 360) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ensemblehalo-warshalowarshands-onhandsonjoystiqfeaturesXbox-360Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Halo Wars vid shows off 'Ice Level']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/new-halo-wars-vid-shows-off-ice-level/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/new-halo-wars-vid-shows-off-ice-level/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/new-halo-wars-vid-shows-off-ice-level/#commentsFiled under: ,


If Halo Wars' absence from Microsoft's E3 keynote left you blue, you're likely in the right frame of mind to enjoy a new gameplay video of Ensemble's tactical take on the Halo universe set upon a descriptively titled "Ice Level."

Marvel as Spartans rain down MAC Cannon devastation from above. Be astounded as good guys gather resources, and then spend them. Be astonished as you forget to care about Halo Wars well before the game's early 2009 release.

JoystiqNew Halo Wars vid shows off 'Ice Level' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2008ensemble-studiosensemblestudioshalo-warshalowarsmicrosoftXbox-360Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Halo Wars for PC with cross-platform competition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/rumor-halo-wars-for-pc-with-cross-platform-competition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/rumor-halo-wars-for-pc-with-cross-platform-competition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/rumor-halo-wars-for-pc-with-cross-platform-competition/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Still very much part of the rumor mill, website The Angry Pixel, "after enough assurances that this is not a cruel hoax," writes that Xbox 360 exclusive Halo Wars is in development for PC and that the game features cross-platform play. The result: Xbox 360 owners may feel what it's like to play an RTS against keyboard and mouse players -- or might it actually be balanced? CVG followed up with a Microsoft rep about the story and was naturally told, "We do not comment on rumour and speculation."

Cross-platform capabilities have been accessible through UNO and Shadowrun, and it's no real shock to postulate that an RTS like Halo Wars could be in development for PC. Apparently Sega's Universe at War will have cross-platform capabilities when it launches on Xbox 360 this spring, so it would seem somewhat plausible for a first-party title like Halo Wars to feature the capability as well.

Update: Predictably, Microsoft has squashed the rumor. "Halo Wars is being developed from the bottom up for the Xbox 360 and its control scheme to ensure that we deliver a groundbreaking console RTS experience. Given that, we have no plans to develop Halo Wars for Windows Vista at this time," a Microsoft representative told IGN.

Read: Fog of War: Halo Wars for PC?
Read: Is Halo Wars going cross-platform?

Gallery: Halo Wars

JoystiqRumor: Halo Wars for PC with cross-platform competition originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cross-platformhalo-warshalowarsPCXbox-360Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[First Halo Wars multiplayer screens surface]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/first-halo-wars-multiplayer-screens-surface/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/first-halo-wars-multiplayer-screens-surface/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/first-halo-wars-multiplayer-screens-surface/#commentsFiled under:

The Halo Wars news well has been dry lately. It's Winter, what do you expect? But today, in an effort to quench your thirst, we bring you some brand new Halo Wars multiplayer screenshots. Over at CVG they posted five four new screenshots featuring multiplayer craziness like what you see above, familiar units and old school red versus blue action. And we'll be the first to say "wowzaz!" Not only are we impressed at the landscapes, terrain, units and the sheer amount of action going on screen, but we instantly get a comforting Halo feeling. It's hard to explain, but we can tell that Ensemble Studios has worked closely with Bungie, because the game just looks right. Now click away kids and drink up. One can't be sure of when our next Halo Wars watering will come.

[Thanks, Muffin man]

JoystiqFirst Halo Wars multiplayer screens surface originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesensemble-studiosHalohalo-warshalowarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSThu, 03 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Next Gen compiles best of 2008: GTAIV on top]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/next-gen-compiles-best-of-2008-gtaiv-on-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/next-gen-compiles-best-of-2008-gtaiv-on-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/next-gen-compiles-best-of-2008-gtaiv-on-top/#commentsFiled under:


Next Generation has put together its own list of the best upcoming games of 2008, a popular thing to do at this time of year. Their list has an interesting twist though: estimated sales numbers. Each game is given a three month sales projection derived by taking sales of previous entries in a franchise (or similar games in the case of new franchises) and tacking on expected sales increases for 2008. Most titles are nestled somewhere in the 300,000 - 900,000 sales range. Undoubtedly though, the one game predicted to blow the competition away is none other than Grand Theft Auto IV, projected to sell between 3.5 and 4 million copies. The only titles close to this number are Fable 2 which could go as high as 1.3 million and Fallout 3 and Halo Wars, both of which could break 1 million. Granted, these are all merely predictions, but we'd say it's a pretty safe bet that Grand Theft Auto IV will be the game to beat in 2008.

[Via Evil Avatar]

JoystiqNext Gen compiles best of 2008: GTAIV on top originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008best-of-2008fable-2fable2fallout-3fallout3gtaivhalo-warshalowarsThu, 03 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars and TF2 videos on XBLM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/30/halo-wars-and-tf2-videos-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/30/halo-wars-and-tf2-videos-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/30/halo-wars-and-tf2-videos-on-xblm/#commentsFiled under: ,


A new day brings some new Xbox Live Marketplace content, and while we don't have any new demos to enjoy, there are some decent videos. The first video is the Halo Wars walk-through that was supposed to go up earlier this week. If you haven't already seen it on the intertubes, it's definitely worth checking out. The second video has also already been seen on the web, though it's probably worth watching in hi-def with some popcorn on the couch. We are talking, of course, about the Team Fortress 2 video featuring the soldier. We said it before and we'll say it again: comedy gold. Download both videos at your earliest convenience, but please, watch responsibly.

JoystiqHalo Wars and TF2 videos on XBLM originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustrieseaelectronicartsEnsemble-StudiosensemblestudiosHaloHalo-WarshalowarsmgsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosmicrosoftgamestudiosorangeboxReal-Time-StrategyRTSteamfortress2valveThu, 30 Aug 2007 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars gameplay footage now on XBLM [update 2]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-gameplay-footage-now-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-gameplay-footage-now-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-gameplay-footage-now-on-xblm/#commentsFiled under:

[Update: The content is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. For more details, click here.]

We reported earlier today that something Halo Wars related was coming along today, and lo and behold, here it is. A 10 minute video of Halo Wars in action has now hit Xbox Live Marketplace as well as HaloWars.com. The video is the same walk-through demonstration that was shown at E3 and gives an overall feel for what the game has to offer. Some of the things you'll get to see are vehicle construction, troop movement, and of course, battle. But enough jibber-jabber, watch it already.

After you've seen Halo Wars in action, why not tell us what do you think? Does it have what it takes to give Command & Conquer 3 a run for its money?

JoystiqHalo Wars gameplay footage now on XBLM [update 2] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungiebungiestudiosEnsemble-StudiosensemblestudioshaloHalo-WarshalowarsmgsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosmicrosoftgamestudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSMon, 27 Aug 2007 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[New Halo Wars gameplay trailer [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/new-halo-wars-gameplay-trailer-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/new-halo-wars-gameplay-trailer-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/new-halo-wars-gameplay-trailer-available-on-xbox-live/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Was that thirty seconds of Halo Wars gameplay footage from July not enough to quench your thirst for wanton Spartan vs. Covenant destruction? A new, ten-minute gameplay trailer with narration is now available in HD over Xbox Live.

The trailer goes over how the controls currently work, as well as show off some of more acute details of the game (spoiler: UNSC troops do push-ups). If you can't fire up your Xbox 360 (either because of circumstance or an irksome Red Ring), the new video is embedded above for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check out our impressions of the game from this year's E3.

[Update: D'oh! Due to extenuating circumstances -- our Xbox 360s are sleeping with digital fishes -- we took the word of the press release that the Halo Wars trailer would be available on Xbox Live. You can still enjoy the video, in standard definition, via the embedded video above.]

JoystiqNew Halo Wars gameplay trailer [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungieensembleEnsemble-StudioshaloHalo-WarshalowarsmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSxblmXbox-360xboxliveMon, 27 Aug 2007 13:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars demo or video coming soonish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-demo-or-video-coming-soonish/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-demo-or-video-coming-soonish/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/27/halo-wars-demo-or-video-coming-soonish/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Xbox Live members may be getting another look at or first play session with Halo Wars soon, as it's rumored that a Halo Wars demo or video will be releasing to the XBLM sometime today. In an interview with Ensemble Studios executive producer Harter Ryan (video embedded after the jump), he hints at some sort of media release when talking about the game at Leipzig saying that "we're showing a demo that'll be available on Monday". Indeed, Ryan's comment can be taken two different ways meaning either the release of an actual game demo to the Marketplace or just a video of the demo, but our logical side is leaning towards a video. You can cross your fingers though fanboys, an actual Halo Wars demo would be a lot cooler than a boring old video.

JoystiqHalo Wars demo or video coming soonish originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesEnsemble-StudiosensemblestudiosHaloHalo-WarshalowarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSrumorxblmMon, 27 Aug 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Official Halo Wars website gets an update]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/official-halo-wars-website-gets-an-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/official-halo-wars-website-gets-an-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/17/official-halo-wars-website-gets-an-update/#commentsFiled under:

Ensemble Studios has updated their official Halo Wars website featuring screenshots from the game and some information on new vehicles that'll grace the battlefield. Heading on over to the website you'll be slapped in the face with a few new screenshots on the homepage featuring battle scenes seen in the gameplay trailer. Digging a little deeper we found the Features section which showss off renders and concept art from a few new in game items including the UNSC Cougar, UNSC Supply Pad and Covenant Air Artillery. Give the updated website a look over, stop by the forums and see what other goodies you can uncover.

JoystiqOfficial Halo Wars website gets an update originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudiosHalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSTue, 17 Jul 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars demo out before the game releases]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/halo-wars-demo-out-before-the-game-releases/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/halo-wars-demo-out-before-the-game-releases/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/halo-wars-demo-out-before-the-game-releases/#commentsFiled under:

Some developers like to share their products before they release and give consumers a taste for the greatness to come, while others like to build anticipation and hold out on a much deserving demo-o-greatness (here's looking at you Assassin's Creed). But good thing for us is that Ensemble Studios is all about showing off the goods.

Behind the mysterious "closed doors" of E3 during a Halo Wars demo, Joystiq learned from Halo Wars producer Chris Rippy that a demo is in fact planned to release "for sure before the game comes out". Ensemble Studios' generosity is probably due to the fact that they want to convince the masses that not only is Halo Wars teh greatness, but that their control scheme is teh greatness too. But you're in for a wait fanboys, because Halo Wars and the promised demo are penciled in for sometime in 2008.

JoystiqHalo Wars demo out before the game releases originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungieensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudioshalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyrtsMon, 16 Jul 2007 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Ensemble: Halo Wars demo before release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/ensemble-halo-wars-demo-before-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/ensemble-halo-wars-demo-before-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/15/ensemble-halo-wars-demo-before-release/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Gamers tend to be (understandably) cautious when it comes to real time strategy games on consoles. The reason for this is simple: RTS games on consoles have been uniformly bad, with the (arguable) exception of Battle for Middle Earth II and Command & Conquer 3 on the Xbox 360. Even with those games, however, the controls are far from perfect, which becomes abundantly clear in later levels. Halo Wars hopes to change all that, or so we were told by Ensemble. Still, we'd like a bit of a safety net if you please. Lucky for us, the folks from Ensemble told us during our Halo Wars E3 presentation that there is a demo on the way. According to producer Chris Rippy, the demo will arrive "for sure before the game comes out." While we were generally impressed with the Halo Wars presentation, our one nagging concern was the control, so it's nice to know that we'll all be able to try before we buy. Halo Wars touches down in 2008.

JoystiqEnsemble: Halo Wars demo before release originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungieE3e307ensembleensemblestudioshalowarsmicrosoftgamestudiosXbox-360Sun, 15 Jul 2007 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq impressions: Halo Wars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/joystiq-impressions-halo-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/joystiq-impressions-halo-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/joystiq-impressions-halo-wars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In his enthusiastic Halo Wars presentation, game developer Graeme Devine is more than willing to share information with the press. Though most of the knowledge gained by eager listeners was related to science-fiction shenanigans and enormous space hoops, the most important fact given is one that's never directly stated. Mr. Devine, like most of his comrades at Age of Empires developer, Ensemble Studios, is somewhat of a control freak.

And that's a good thing, especially when an entire genre hinges on how well you can control your on-screen armies. The real-time strategy genre has never enjoyed the same level of success it has on those platforms equipped with handheld rodents, and it's a problem that's been gnawing at Ensemble ever since the decision was made to plunge into the Halo universe. For the first six months of its two and a half year development period, Halo Wars was nothing more than a testing platform for console-based strategy controls. "There was no game," reveals Ensemble Studios producer, Chris Rippy.

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: Halo Wars

JoystiqJoystiq impressions: Halo Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesE3E307Ensemble-StudiosHaloHalo-WarsHalo3HaloWarsimpressionsMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSXbox-360Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Halo 3 and Halo Wars make us salivate]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/video-halo-3-and-halo-wars-make-us-salivate/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/video-halo-3-and-halo-wars-make-us-salivate/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/video-halo-3-and-halo-wars-make-us-salivate/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fresh from E3 are two Halo videos that made us salivate uncontrollably and just may make some fanboys become giddy little school girls. Yup, they're that good. Embedded above is the trailer everyone and their grandma is talking about and is the the new Halo 3 campaign trailer shown at E3. The Arbitor, Cortana and the entire Covenant race make an appearance in the trailer and be sure to watch for the Brute Chopper ... it's teh badness. After watching the trailer we think we can all agree that Halo 3 is looking a lot prettier and will feature one epically awesome campaign. Also, be sure to check out Joystiq's Halo 3 E3 trailer analysis.

The second video is embedded after the break and is Halo Wars' coming out video featuring gameplay footage. Not only does it look graphically impressive, but it looks darn fun to play too. Ensemble Studios has done a fantastic job on this one as we can't wait to get our hands on those little Warthogs and Grunts. Adorable little guys. Halo 3 and Halo Wars ... this is gaming my friends.

Continue reading Video: Halo 3 and Halo Wars make us salivate

JoystiqVideo: Halo 3 and Halo Wars make us salivate originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiebungie studiosBungie-StudiosBungieStudiose3e307ensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudiosFPSHalohalo 3halo warsHalo-3Halo-WarsHalo3HaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSWed, 11 Jul 2007 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[First gameplay footage of Halo Wars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/first-gameplay-footage-of-halo-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/first-gameplay-footage-of-halo-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/first-gameplay-footage-of-halo-wars/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hot from the smoldering work stations at GameVideos, 30 seconds of gameplay from Ensemble Studio's highly anticipated RTS, Halo Wars. It's only a tiny morsel of what's in store for us down here in Santa Monica, but it sure is a tasty one. Halo's signature vehicle, the Warthog, flying majestically through the air as though it were a Pelican. Gorgeous, close-up shots of units that make us weep -- knowing that we'll be spending the game zoomed out for tactical reasons.

All in all it looks to be very Halo, all the way down to the selection reticule. We'll be sure to hunt it down this week and let you know how it's shaping up. If you don't feel like squinting, visit GameVideos and download the high resolution version.

JoystiqFirst gameplay footage of Halo Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbreakingnewse307e3breakingnewsensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudioshaloHalo-WarshalowarsMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSXbox-360Wed, 11 Jul 2007 02:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars will reveal itself in July]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/29/halo-wars-will-reveal-itself-in-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/29/halo-wars-will-reveal-itself-in-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/29/halo-wars-will-reveal-itself-in-july/#commentsFiled under:

The latest Halo Wars update over at the official forums doesn't bring any new fancy videos, screenshots, or even concept art, but it does give fans something else ... hope. Ensemble Studios dev man Thunder says that the team has been playing a bunch of Halo Wars at the studio lately and also confirmed that the the veil of mystery surrounding the game will be lifted in July. Thunder says that they'll be posting new exciting info July 6th and that "next month is going to be a big one for Halo Wars". E3 will be going down in a few weeks and we already know Halo Wars will be shown in some capacity, hopefully it'll be a hands on demo. July will be Halo Wars media heaven! Or so we think.

[Thanks, Master Devwi]

JoystiqHalo Wars will reveal itself in July originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungieensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudiosHalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSFri, 29 Jun 2007 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumorang: Halo Wars Dec. 31st Release? Exobably not]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/14/rumorang-halo-wars-dec-31st-release-exobably-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/14/rumorang-halo-wars-dec-31st-release-exobably-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/14/rumorang-halo-wars-dec-31st-release-exobably-not/#commentsFiled under:

We got a couple tips about GameStop listing Halo Wars' release date as 12/31/07, and before this spreads like wildfire, we'd just like to point out this reeks of pea soup. Excardon our logic here, but why would Halo 3 and Halo Wars release in the same year, let alone Holiday season? Obviously, GameStop is just trying to secure some pre-orders, but you may want to get a canceltation on those before you get your hopes up. Once we get some concrete details on the development and release on Halo Wars, we'll report it here. No probalo!

[Thanks, Joseph]

JoystiqRumorang: Halo Wars Dec. 31st Release? Exobably not originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungieEnsembleEnsemble StudiosEnsembleStudiosHaloHalo 3Halo WarsHalo3HaloWarsThu, 14 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars already a blast to play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/halo-wars-already-a-blast-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/halo-wars-already-a-blast-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/17/halo-wars-already-a-blast-to-play/#commentsFiled under:


Buried under the massive weight of the Halo 3 beta, a new Halo Wars update has been quietly released by the folks at Ensemble Studios. The update focuses on the ongoing multiplayer playtests of Halo Wars, and apparently things are moving along swimmingly. It looks like Ensemble is happy with the control scheme now, so they can spend more time actually playing the game. The game's placeholder features (such as plain, rectangular buildings) are slowly being replaced by more detailed assets. Finally, artists are spending a lot of time tuning the game's scale. In other words, you want your infantry units big enough to see, but not so big that they look like giants compared to buildings and vehicles. Hit the "read" link to check out the update.

[Via Arrogantics. Thanks, zizzy]

JoystiqHalo Wars already a blast to play originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're a little late on this one, but at least we're honest about the fact and are still reporting on the goods. Over on the official Halo Wars forums Ensemble Studios' own Thunder posted a brief status report on Halo Wars' progress and asked lead designer Graeme Devine a few questions. Although the update and interview don't give us any new media or reveal any big news about Halo Wars, we do learn that Graeme is Irish and likes his Guinness. So, if you're feeling a little adventurous, make the jump for Ensemble Studios' April Halo Wars update.

JoystiqHalo Wars update is somewhat informative originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungieensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudioshalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSMon, 23 Apr 2007 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EGM: "Word is another Halo game is in the works."]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/egm-word-is-another-halo-game-is-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/egm-word-is-another-halo-game-is-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/egm-word-is-another-halo-game-is-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We may transition from waiting years between Halo releases right into Halo overload extremis. Halo will become the Will Ferrell of the gaming world, and we'll see the Master Chief in every game that comes down the line.

Reader Hashbrown_Hunter sent in a scan from the latest EGM Rumor Mill reporting that it isn't the episodic Peter Jackson project or the Halo Wars RTS that Bungie is currently working on ... so where does that leave us? "Word is another Halo game is in the works," they say. There's always a chance it'll be Halo 2.5, with all the missing single-player levels added in so it doesn't feel so short. And we're also not counting out Halo: Warthog Racing just yet.

[Thanks, Hashbrown_Hunter]

JoystiqEGM: "Word is another Halo game is in the works." originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungieEGMHaloHalo3HaloWarsRumorXbox-360Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Finally, we get a Halo Wars update]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/finally-we-get-a-halo-wars-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/finally-we-get-a-halo-wars-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/finally-we-get-a-halo-wars-update/#commentsFiled under:


Over on the official Halo Wars forums Thunder posted a special update for our little Halo gem. The Ensemble Studios development team had to reach one of their first development milestones by getting a preview build of Halo Wars ready for some visiting Microsoft execs. And to our surprise, they actually created a multiplayer build so the whole team (including those Microsoft execs) could spend the day blowing stuff up real good. Thunder also went on to say that they've

"got a long way to go still, but it's very encouraging when a group like this can sit down and have fun beating the hell out of each other so far from any ship date".

True, they do have many milestones to achieve before Halo Wars goes gold, but we're extremely exciting knowing that such an early build was so well received. Anyone's thirst for Halo Wars news been quenched or do you demand 20 gallons worth of screenshots?

[Thanks, DjDATZ]

JoystiqFinally, we get a Halo Wars update originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiebungie studiosBungieStudiosensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudioshalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSThu, 01 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MTV interviews Phil Spencer about Halo [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/mtv-interviews-phil-spencer-about-halo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/mtv-interviews-phil-spencer-about-halo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/mtv-interviews-phil-spencer-about-halo/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you haven't had your fill of Halo 3 news this week, then check out MTV's video interview with Microsoft's GM of publishing of first party titles Phil Spencer. Phil talks about everything Halo related including Peter Jackson's upcoming project, Halo Wars, and the Halo 3 beta. He discusses where they are at with all their projects, how involved they are with Mr. Jackson, how the Halo Wars RTS came to be, and gave us no news on the beta that we didn't already know. It's good to hear about the status of the other Halo projects as it looks like we'll be hearing about Halo Wars in the near future. RTS FTW, SS! (For those of you who aren't l33t, that translates to "real-time strategy for the win, super sweetness!")

Update 1: Corrected our source and video links.

[Via 2old2play]

JoystiqMTV interviews Phil Spencer about Halo [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo 3halo warsHalo3HaloWarsmicrosoftmtvpeter jacksonPeterJacksonphil spencerPhilSpencerSat, 17 Feb 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 3 beta: Microsoft says "the experience will be deep"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/16/halo-3-beta-microsoft-says-the-experience-will-be-deep/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/16/halo-3-beta-microsoft-says-the-experience-will-be-deep/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/16/halo-3-beta-microsoft-says-the-experience-will-be-deep/#commentsFiled under: ,


While at D.I.C.E., MTV News' Stephen Totilo spoke with Phil Spencer, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, to check in on the status of some of Microsoft's bigger projects ... say, the litany of Halo games in the works. While Spencer wouldn't say much about Peter Jackson's as-yet-untitled Halo project, or Ensemble Studios' Halo Wars RTS -- both are still in the early stages of development -- he did have a little more to say about the upcoming Halo 3 beta. When asked about the size of the beta, Spencer responded, "It isn't really a tease ... People should expect a pretty robust experience when they're playing. Don't call it a demo." More than one map? Spencer assures us, "The experience will definitely be deep." Deep, eh? Remember, if you didn't get a Rule of Three invite, you can always grab an "initial" copy of Crackdown.

Gallery: Halo Wars

JoystiqHalo 3 beta: Microsoft says "the experience will be deep" originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Halo 3 betaHalo WarsHalo3BetaHaloWarsMicrosoft Game StudiosMicrosoftGameStudiosMTV NewsMtvNewsPhil SpencerPhilSpencerXbox-360Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The latest on Halo Wars: mocap goodness]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/the-latest-on-halo-wars-mocap-goodness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/the-latest-on-halo-wars-mocap-goodness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/the-latest-on-halo-wars-mocap-goodness/#commentsFiled under:


It's been a long time coming (and we're a week late getting to it), but the latest update on Halo Wars has finally arrived. Posted on the Halo Wars forums, the update centers around a recent motion capture session (mocap to the kids). The makers of Halo Wars set up some test sessions with an LA motion capture studio, House of Moves, to see if mocap could be beneficial to Halo Wars. So, several actors were set up with light reflecting ping pong balls and asked to re-enact scenes from the game. They even set up a plywood warthog and gave the actors some crazy stilts to emulate the way Elites walk. See more pictures after the break.

Continue reading The latest on Halo Wars: mocap goodness

JoystiqThe latest on Halo Wars: mocap goodness originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Playstation 3 and Wii are launching this week, and it looks like Microsoft wants to make damned sure that players remember why they love Xbox. We're talking about Halo, of course. The above piece of concept are showed up in our inbox a few minutes ago. It's a UNSC Shortsword bomber, one of the units available in Ensemble Studios upcoming 360 RTS, Halo Wars. We went over to the official Halo Wars site just to see if anything was new. Sure enough, Ensemble has posted an update on the game's progress. In truth, the update is really just there to let us know that they plan to do monthly updates from now on. Still, Ensemble takes the time to congratulate Bungie on Halo's fifth-iversary and welcomes gamers to share their ideas for Halo Wars. If you have an idea, or just want to share your enthusiasm, head over to the Halo Wars forums -- you can also download hi-res versions of the above concept art in their image gallery. Expect a real update in December. What would you like to see in a Halo RTS?

JoystiqHalo Wars art, new info in December originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiebungie studiosBungieStudiosensembleensemble studiosEnsemble-StudiosEnsembleStudioshalohalo warsHalo-WarsHaloWarsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosReal-Time-StrategyRTSWed, 15 Nov 2006 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[X06 announcements crammed into a single post]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/x06-announcements-crammed-into-a-single-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/x06-announcements-crammed-into-a-single-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/x06-announcements-crammed-into-a-single-post/#commentsFiled under:

Microsoft's X06 event started off in a thunderous explosion of news, with pieces of informative debris raining down upon the unshielded denizens of the internet since yesterday. If you're feeling clueless or overwhelmed, allow us to subject you to a helpful hail of bullet points:








  • Peter Jackson reveals a new partnership with Microsoft Game Studios. The king of the rings and his newly established Wingnut Interactive studio will work on an original property for the Xbox 360, as well as an unnamed Halo title. One can only hope that the crappy-game-based-on-a-movie and the crappy-movie-based-on-a-game curses cancel each other out when it comes time to play Peter Jackson's Halo: The Game of the Movie of the Game.
  • A new RTS, Halo Wars, is unveiled. Set in a time before the first Halo, the real-time strategy game is being developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 by Ensemble Studios. Many confused pundits take the opportunity to point out that the Xbox 360 does not have a keyboard or a mouse.
  • Grand Theft Auto IV will have two "epic" downloadable episodes exclusively on Xbox 360. Rockstar and Take-Two promise that the new episodes will provide "hours" of new gameplay and will be available "just months" after the game's October 2007 release. The vague wording of the announcement fails to rule out the possibility that the PS3 could receive different downloadable episodes of its own.
  • The next Splinter Cell game is console-exclusive to the Xbox 360 -- meaning handhelds and the PC are still fair game. Fewer people are upset by this than those who realize Splinter Cell: Double Agent isn't available on anything yet.
  • Bioshock is exclusive to Xbox 360 and Windows when it releases "next Spring". The wording of the press release says nothing of the game should it release during any other season following Spring. Of course, nobody likes waiting ...
  • Project Gotham Racing 4 is coming. And the surprise hit gamers with all the force of a linen sheet flapping in the wind.
  • Rare is working on a new Banjo-Kazooie game. Presumably, players are still keen on collecting all the coins, apples, music notes, beans, feathers, diamonds, pearls, potions, rings, blocks, wrenches and / or yams mysteriously floating around the finely rendered landscape.
  • Marvel Universe Online is announced for the Xbox 360 and Windows Vista. It's being developed by the folks behind City of Heroes -- perhaps you remember Marvel suing them for creating tools that allowed people to venture online as, err, Marvel characters.
  • Doom and Sensible World of Soccer join the Xbox Live Arcade lineup. The classic first-person shooter was already available yesterday for 800 points ($10). The Amiga footie title has not been given a release date yet, though the press release insists on using the word "soon."
  • The Xbox 360 HD-DVD costs $199.99 in North America and €199.99/£129.99 in the UK, France and Germany. It arrives in mid-November and will include the Xbox 360's Universal Media Remote and the HD-DVD version of Peter Jackson's King Kong. And with that, the circle is complete.

Congrats, scavenger hunter, you've found the secret c o d e good for one free copy of B A N K S H O T B I L L I A R D S 2: PRF4Q W798V G7JX9 2RX2W VT94G (Contest ran on 12/30/2006. The code has been redeemed.)

JoystiqX06 announcements crammed into a single post originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Banjo-KazooieBioshockHaloHalo 3Halo Warshalo-chroniclesHalo3HaloWarsHD-DVDKing KongKingKongMarvel Universe OnlineMarvelUniverseOnlineMicrosoftPeter JacksonPeterJacksonPGR4Project Gotham RacingProjectGothamRacingXBLAXbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveThu, 28 Sep 2006 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Wars trailer gives us goosebumps]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/halo-wars-trailer-gives-us-goosebumps/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/halo-wars-trailer-gives-us-goosebumps/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/halo-wars-trailer-gives-us-goosebumps/#commentsFiled under:


Okay, so you missed the X06 briefing and the Halo Wars trailer. Your 360 crapped out on you and you couldn't download it from Marketplace. To top it all off, your slavish devotion to X360F prevents you from looking it up on one of the internets. It's okay, friend, we understand your pain. You need merely click "continue" to see the video embedded after the break. And by the way, that headline is not a joke. It gave us goosebumps (well, maybe not Ken, but he is made of sterner stuff than I). So, who wants this game? Raise your hand.

Continue reading Halo Wars trailer gives us goosebumps

JoystiqHalo Wars trailer gives us goosebumps originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Bringing It Home content train just keeps a' rollin'. Today we are blessed with another demo, Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007. The full list goes a little something like this:

Tony Hawk's Project 8 trailer
Wheelman trailer
Frontlines Fuel of War trailer
X06 Game Montage video
Crossfire trailer
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007
Fable 2 theme (150 points)
X06 theme (free)

Also new today, Europe can finally download all Oblivion content packs (insert obligatory horse armor joke here). Oh, and we missed it last night, but there is now a Halo Wars theme (150 points) and picture pack (80 points) available.

JoystiqBIH content, 9/28: big sweaty men edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crossfirefable 2Fable2frontlines fuel of warFrontlinesFuelOfWarhalo warsHaloWarsoblivionproject 8Project8smackdown vs rawsmackdown vs raw 2007SmackdownVsRawSmackdownVsRaw2007thp8tony hawktony hawks project 8TonyHawkTonyHawksProject8wheelmanwwe smackdown vs raw 2007WweSmackdownVsRaw2007x06Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Bringing home a barrage of Xbox 360 trailers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/bringing-home-a-barrage-of-xbox-360-trailers/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/bringing-home-a-barrage-of-xbox-360-trailers/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/bringing-home-a-barrage-of-xbox-360-trailers/#commentsFiled under:

Major Nelson has once again updated his blog with a convenient list of X06 additions to the Xbox Live marketplace. If you're in any way enamored with glitzy trailers, pre-rendered footage or relentless teasing, you'd best switch on your console and start downloading some of these clips:
  • Call of Duty 3
  • Banjo Kazooie
  • Marvel Ultimate Online
  • Viva Pinata
  • Assassin's Creed
  • Splinter Cell: Double Agent
  • Blue Dragon
  • Lost Odyssey
  • Bioshock
  • FIFA 07
  • Rainbow Six Vegas
  • Halo Wars
If you're a more traditional gamer and actually enjoy interactive forms of entertainment, you'll be pleased to learn that several of our readers have spied F.E.A.R. and Sonic the Hedgehog demos scurrying about in the marketplace. Be sure to let us know what you think of them, but not before viewing the embedded video (after the break) and answering one simple question: What the hell is going on with that nose?

Continue reading Bringing home a barrage of Xbox 360 trailers

JoystiqBringing home a barrage of Xbox 360 trailers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Banjo KazooieBanjoKazooieBioshockBue DragonBueDragonHaloHalo WarsHaloWarsLost OdysseyLostOdysseyMicrosoftMSFTRainbow SixRainbowSixRareX06XBLXBLMXbox LiveXbox Live MarketplaceXbox-360XboxLiveXboxLiveMarketplaceWed, 27 Sep 2006 21:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Tons of new X06 Marketplace content]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/tons-of-new-x06-marketplace-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/tons-of-new-x06-marketplace-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/tons-of-new-x06-marketplace-content/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Following today's press briefing, there is now a boatload of new trailers on Marketplace. They are, in no particular order:

Assassin's Creed
Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey
Halo Wars
Viva Piñata
Call of Duty 3
Marvel Universe
Banjo-Kazooie
PGR4
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Bioshock
FIFA 07

All this and a bag of DOOM. We have to wonder, though: what the hell will we get next? They've got two more days to fill after all. Any predictions?

JoystiqTons of new X06 Marketplace content originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banjo kazooiebanjo-kazooieBanjoKazooiebioshockblue dragonBlueDragonbringing it homeBringingItHomecall of duty 3CallOfDuty3fifa 07Fifa07halo warsHaloWarslost odysseyLostOdysseymarvel universeMarvelUniversepgr4project gotham racing 4ProjectGothamRacing4rainbow six vegasRainbowSixVegassplinter cell double agentSplinterCellDoubleAgentviva pinataVivaPinatax06Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:50:00 EST