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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Ensemble Studios official closes its doors...

pbroy on 30 January 2009
outlawauron said:
makingmusic476 said:
richardhutnik said:
outlawauron said:
makingmusic476 said:

I think that's about it. I know they closed FASA Studios a year or two ago.  They were guys behind MechWarrior 4, MechCommander 1/2, and Crimsons Skies: high Road to Revenge.  The MechCommander series was another awesome franchise.  :(

I wonder if they'll keep Rare around much longer. They're the life blood of Microsoft's family oriented games movement, but their last two titles have sold horribly.

Well, they sold Bioware to EA and sold Bizarre Creations to SEGA.

Bizarre is part of Sega?  I thought they are now part of Activision, or do freelance work for different companies.  Bizarre did do Metropolis Street Racing (became Project Gotham) for Sega.

 

Yes, they were bought by Activision.

I'm not sure why I didn't notice that when I first read his post. 0_o

If Activision owns them, then why did they make The Club for Sega? That's why I thought Sega bought em.

 

They were working on The Club for Sega before Activision bought them.

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The Anarchyz on 30 January 2009
disolitude said:
makingmusic476 said:
disolitude said:
lol...i dont want to sound conspicuous but a lot of Sony ps3 fans seem to have an emotional attachment to Ensemble studios.

While I agree that its sad to see them go...I personally never heard of them until i heard of halo wars. Hope their last game is a good swansong...

 

Have you seriously never heard of Age of Empires?  The best friggin' RTS series out there?

Only the Battle for Middle-earth II and Supreme Commander touch the masterpieces that Ensemble has made (in my opinion - games like Company of Heroes are up there as well).

I heard "of" it...but I never knew who was behind it or that Microsoft was even involved. Mind you the only RTS I ever played was starcraft...for about a 2 week perion on my PC so its not my genre of choice.

 

 

That's why you didn't hear about them until they added a Halo title to their list... I am a sucker for a good RTS and Ensemble did the amazing Age of Empires, between them, Blizzard and Westwood (Command & Conquer before EA), i had a serious addiction...

That's why i want for Halo Wars to succeed, but not as a Halo game, but as a RTS... Ensemble deserves a good farewell...


DAMN YOU MS!!!



makingmusic476 on 30 January 2009

Ah, I remember the days when Westwood was still around. So many matches of Red Alert and Tiberium Sun were played.

EA sucks too. >=(

Though they somewhat redeemed themselves with the incredible Battle for Middle-earth series.



BengaBenga on 30 January 2009

F*ck!

Age of Empires 2 is my favorite RTS ever.
Microsoft is killing PC gaming, bit by bit.



Darc Requiem on 30 January 2009

I never got the logic behind MS shutting down Ensemble either. If anything Rare would have been my choice to for shut down if they had to close a studio down.



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bardicverse on 30 January 2009

This is why I will never let another company buy out or even get involved in my studio. I'd rather stay small and humble and keep in the black and operating than have someone else dictate our studio's functions.



IllegalPaladin on 30 January 2009

Long live Age of Empires!

RIP Ensemble!



Slimebeast on 30 January 2009

But they said MS will still keep making Age of Empires games.

I don't care much though because I'm not that interested in an Age game that takes place in a WWII or modern or futuristic setting.

I loved the ancient and medieval time periods and I'm still having fun with Age of Empires II and chance was very small for them (Ensemble) to revisit those ages before doing games in the modern ages anyway.

Actually this closing of Ensemble mite be better - if many of the prominent Ensemble guys leave MS and start their own studios chances are higher that they'll make an RTS game with an ancient or medieval setting, cause that's what they do best.



NJ5 on 30 January 2009
bardicverse said:
This is why I will never let another company buy out or even get involved in my studio. I'd rather stay small and humble and keep in the black and operating than have someone else dictate our studio's functions.

I imagine many people say that, but when they see the suitcases stuffed with cash, only a few resist.

 



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disolitude on 30 January 2009

I dont get it.

Someone still owns the Age of Empires IP...and if its successful and great as you all say it is, then it will be made again.

It may be a different company/people but realisticly speaking, howmany of the same people do you think worked on these games since the studio was created?

Key poeple could have left and the studio could have lost its focus...you never shut down a studio that is profitable and is able to deliver great games.

Even Microsoft knows this...