Ensemble was "shocked" by studio closure

By Robert Purchese Published 23 September, 2008

Halo Wars dev thought it was "immune".

Ensemble Studios boss Bruce Shelley said he was shocked when Microsoft decided the developer would close following the completion of its work on Halo Wars.

"I have mentioned with regret the closing of several quality game studios over the past several years but I never considered that Ensemble Studios would join the list," wrote Shelley on the company blog.

"Everyone at our studio was shocked, and I think remains very disappointed that this is going to happen. I believe we thought we were immune to shut-down talk because our published games have done so well and have been so profitable.

"Plus we felt we had built a really stable (low-turnover), talented, hard-working, and creative team, which is not easy to do. We thought we were among the best studios in the world, and that may be true, but we don't fit in the future plans of MGS as an internal studio, so we're out," said Shelley.

Microsoft decided to shut down the Age of Empires team earlier this month. Shelley believes this may have been because Ensemble was more expensive to run than other internal Microsoft Game Studios such as Rare and Lionhead.

"First, they want to divert the headcount tied up in Ensemble Studios and the costs that are expected to be required to run Ensemble Studios for the next few years into other projects," he said.

"Second, it sounded like it cost more to run Ensemble Studios on a per person basis than other first party studios, putting us at a disadvantage.

"And third, games those studios are expected to deliver in the next few years are expected to be more strategic and profitable to the company than anything we would be finishing after Halo Wars," added Shelley.

Halo Wars is due for release in early 2009, with Ensemble determined to making the game its swansong.

"We want a great Halo Wars game to be the final tribute to everything that Ensemble Studios has come to mean to us, and perhaps you as well, over the past 13 years," concluded Shelley.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • Darren #1 3 years ago

    Way to go, Microsoft... close down your best developers and keep the lesser ones... that's how you make great profitable games! :p

  • Triggerhappytel #2 3 years ago

    Yeah, MS just seem to be totally fucking stupid the last couple of years - shutting down studios and letting others get away while they get Lionhead to carry on with their one-game-per-generation timeframe and Rare to clone Nintendo's shitty Miis.

    The remnants of Ensemble should go to Sony/Ninty/EA/AB and sell themselves. Fuck Microsoft.

  • WinterSnowblind #3 3 years ago

    One game a generation is still more than what Ensemble are pushing out, especially when it's something like Fable which is going to sell millions. And like they said themselves, they're still far more expnesive to keep going than either Rare or Lionhead. So it's hardly surprising this happened.
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 11:56

  • menage #4 3 years ago

    Kinda feel sad because of this, it seems really a rotten thing to go through.

    MS is seriously making some weird moves. letting Bungie go, not buying Bioware, etc.

    @Trigger

    Then again no need to bash other studios because of it I think. It's not their fault.

  • asphaltcowboy #5 3 years ago

    "I believe we thought we were immune to shut-down talk because our published games have done so well and have been so profitable."

    There's your problem right there!

  • captainrentboy #6 3 years ago

    They should hide pictures in the game of things like Bill Gates being bummed by the Covenant, or Bill sucking off Master Chief. That'll fucking show 'em!!

  • mazzl #7 3 years ago

    so... after getting fired they will produce one last masterpeace... sure! not.....

  • Eraysor #8 3 years ago

    It appears nobody is safe from the Microsoft Banhammer.

    I hope the devs go on to make tons of money.

  • Triggerhappytel #9 3 years ago

    @ menage

    No, I'm not bashing Rare or Lionhead (although I do think the Avatars look like crap), just questioning MGS's management. It just seems as though they're pissing around with stuff that shouldn't be a priority and not concentrating where they should be - like you say, not buying BioWare and Bizarre, letting FASA and now Ensemble go, etc. As exclusives become more and more rare they should be enlarging the number of first-party studios, not decreasing them.
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 12:25

  • IronCladChicken #10 3 years ago

    Seems like M$ are looking to rely much more on 3rd party's to develop their games & just seeling the hardware.
    I know there are a few people in M$ who have never been happy about the Xbox, maybe it's a strategy so they can quicky pull out of the consle business if they decide to concentrate on businesses rather than brand awareness?

  • onezeonx #11 3 years ago

    SHAME PEEPS WILL LOSE JOBS.....BUT IVE LOST MINE RECENTLY SO TUFF! :p

    ops caps on

  • JohnnyWashnGo #12 3 years ago

    Microsoft wouldn't know how to make a good game - they only care about getting those bloody awful, broken boxes into homes so that they can sell content over the air.

    Games were only an excuse to get the XBox under the TV... nobody would have purchased a Microsoft digital content device, but hey, a games machine, now they are quite popular aren't they?

    Produce a few passable games which will convince the gaming public that they really have bought a games console and then get them hooked on downloading digtial content and using the box for recording TV and playing back music.

    Its a well thought out and clever plan which is working... just.

    Mark my words, they don't give a crap about making games as entertainment, they just want to be they only game in town when it comes to controlling your living room.

  • chris_ace #13 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • SEVQA #14 3 years ago

    Microsoft just to clear things up!

    I HATE YOU AND SO WILL MY KIDS!

  • jovus #15 3 years ago

    R.I.P. Ensemble.. maybe its time to switch sides..

  • menage #16 3 years ago

    @Johnywashngo, Trigger, etc.

    Ehm. That's not just MS. I understand the skepticism, hey I can even share it, but both Sony and Nintendo are in it for your money just as well. Nintendo just dropped their fanbase like a brick, Sony is pooring millions into an overhyped chatroom which nobody wants instead of GoW3 or the new Ico game. Etc.

    If you really think Sony, MS or Nintendo are in it so you can have a good time, well, dream on ... They all want that box under your telly, all for the same reaon. Hell Sony wanted it because they wanted to replace MS's PC empire (it's a computah!). Not because they enjoy games that much.

  • SEVQA #17 3 years ago

    I guess it was Ensemble genre of god games involving global domination didn’t fit Microsoft’s ethos. lol

  • DanWhitehead #18 3 years ago

    As exclusives become more and more rare they should be enlarging the number of first-party studios, not decreasing them.

    But only if those first-party studios are likely to make money. Shelley admits that Ensemble cost more to run than other developers. You can debate the relative merits of Rare and Lionhead til the cows come home, but there's no denying that they both bring far more commercial skills to the table. Ensemble specialises in RTS games, and despite recent efforts its a genre that just isn't working on consoles. It really doesn't make sense, from an objective business perspective, to keep an expensive studio that can only produce games that traditionally don't sell. If it weren't for the brand, Halo Wars probably wouldn't even exist.

    It definitely sucks for the staff though. I've been in a similar situation, and I don't begrudge them the right to call Microsoft every name under the sun. Doesn't make it the wrong decision though.

  • purplefloyd #19 3 years ago

    > MS just seem to be totally fucking stupid the last couple of years

    [checks Micro$oft's Wikipedia article..]

    The last 23 years more like!

  • Fleeby #20 3 years ago

    @SEVQA
    lol - on both counts.

  • RustyBullet #21 3 years ago

    @JohnnyWashnGo ahhh you mean just like Sony...whats good for one is good for another. You dont have to buy it.

  • MiY4MOTO #22 3 years ago

    Hmmm, I was suprised to hear that they cost more to run than say Rare or Lionhead, but when you actually some up the fruits of their labours in the past 11 years you get grand total of 4x games & 5x expansion packs.

    In the same period Rare (who I'm sure you'll all agree are hardly the most prolific of studios) produced some 30 titles across half a dozen formats, with 4 releases for the Xbox 360 in the last 3 years. Even the notoriously late Lionhead have produced more in their life (2001 onwards) than Ensemble studios have in total. So I guess it's hardly suprising that someone in MS accounts has done the math.

    I know it should be all about quality & not quantity, but as someone who worked a games buyer / retail management during Ensemble's more 'prolific' period, in my stores they never sold that great. Certainly not in the league of some other 'strategy' games. Civ / C&C / Total War / Blizzard (Warcraft, Starcraft etc.)

    I hope that Halo Wars turns out to be truly great, but I couldn't help but feel they were kind of arrogant / complacent about their role within MGS. It's sad, but at their current kind of output rate I doubt they would have survived this long without being in the pockets of MS.

  • kangarootoo #23 3 years ago

    @Mogs

    Thinking that every single employee of Ensemble holds responsibility for whether the company is independant or publisher owned just makes you a stupid fool.

  • alimokrane #24 3 years ago

    @MiY4MOTO

    I absolutly agree with everything you said. Besides, I dont see the harm really, All employees will be rehired within the Internal developments teams right ? that's what has been agreed so the talent is still remaining within MS

  • Cappy #25 3 years ago

    I feel bad for them, irrespective of whether Microsoft needs them or not, it sounds like a close knit group of people who enjoyed working together now getting cast to the four winds. I guess there is still a chance they can keep a proportion of the studio together elsewhere if they decide to continue.

  • zoidberg #26 3 years ago

    It's business. It's tough. You're NOT supposed to whine about it.

  • Moonprince #27 3 years ago

    "overhyped chatroom which nobody wants instead of GoW3 or the new Ico game. Etc. "

    You just make this shit up as you go? twat!

  • Moonprince #28 3 years ago

    "far more commercial skills to the table."

    WTF!?

    And how long did Viva Pinata spend in top10? How many sales???

  • menage #29 3 years ago

    @Moonprince.

    No

    Ooh, I'm saying bad about Sony again. That must be it.

    I was just trying to illustrate all company's never do what gamers want. Maybe I could have been more subtle, but hey, it's the freaking Internet. Twat.

  • DanWhitehead #30 3 years ago

    And how long did Viva Pinata spend in top10? How many sales???

    Having commercial prospects doesn't always mean they pay off. That's kind of irrelevant though. As a franchise, Viva Pinata is more in tune with a modern mainstream console than any RTS game, as are Banjo Kazooie and the new dashboard Avatars. The new Jetpac was a big hit on Live. Rare may not always hit the mark, but it's pretty clear that pound-for-pound they're going to be more valuable to Microsoft than a company that costs more to run yet only works in one niche genre.

    Brutal, but then business isn't about being sentimental.

  • Moonprince #31 3 years ago

    I was just trying to illustrate all company's never do what gamers want.

    What?

    So there's no follow up to Ico and no GOW?

    Have I got that right??

  • BastoJ #32 3 years ago

    I don't believe they did they, they lack a decent amount of good first party devs as it is, bah. I guess that ends any hopes for another good Age of Empires game :(. Stupid MS.

  • karstux #33 3 years ago

    I wonder if the company as a whole was profitable or not. If they were accumulating debt, I could understand MS's decision. If not, screw that! A game studio shouldn't be about maximisation of profit, but about creating good games. If they manage to pay their employees on their games' profits, they should have been allowed to carry on.

  • menage #34 3 years ago

    @Moonprince

    Sure, bit late though.

    The other 2 company's have all they're big franchises out already.

    Come on, their first intention was to get a multimedia device in the living room which would kick MS out. They only recently admitted themselves that they wanted to make a PS3 a games machine first and foremost, 2 years after the release. That was certainly getting priorities wrong with the core audience I think. We're still just seeing pretty thin line up now and certainly last year. I know a lot of gamers who'd rather have seen all that money going from home into games they want. Especially dedicated Sony users. The CGI bullshit trailer of GoW at E3 only illustrated that more than it helped. I might be 2 years before that hits. Ico team, even longer (I hope not)

    You're misreading my intent completely though. I just as much hate MS for ditching studios that made our great games, or Nintendo for virtually destroying any chance of a good old Nintendo game the next couple of months/year. Just read that post back again instead of charging like a bull on a red rag and pick something out of context completely. I was talking about all company's.
    Edited by 2 at 23/09/08 @ 15:38

  • Rirekon #35 3 years ago

    As always it's sad to see another developer go

  • Moonprince #36 3 years ago

    I think we've clearly missed each others point then. Mine was an attempt to call you out for suggesting that Sony don't have plans for those two games. Nothing more really.

    From my skim reading of your replies, you are more interested in bah I dunno, something else - the companies? Fanboys? Hate? Or something.

    - Guess I should also point out I cba to read blog like posts so never get further than a line / paragraph. Sorry if I missed something!
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 15:44

  • Triggerhappytel #37 3 years ago

    Another thing is that console RTS have never been more popular - EndWar is coming with a tide of publicity, Stormrise will probably do pretty well if Sega markets it properly (they seem to do a pretty good job with publicising CA's games), Halo Wars is guaranteed a couple of million sales regardless just because of the brand name, will StarCraft 3 be on consoles? - will no doubt be huge if so, and so on (I think World In Conflict: SA is cancelled, isn't it?).

    My point is that Ensemble might have cost more money to run than other MS studios and seen less return, but then their 360 line-up needs variety and integrity, and this is exactly the sort of studio to deliver it for them. Plus the fact that Halo Wars will almost certainly warrant a sequel, and there seems to be every reason to keep Ensemble afloat at the moment. Assuming that their games broke even, I think this is exactly the sort of first-party developer the 360 needs.
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 16:52

  • The-Bodybuilder #38 3 years ago

    >"And how long did Viva Pinata spend in top10? How many sales??? "

    Over a million.
    Your point then being?

  • davisorle #39 3 years ago

    It's sad but stop ppl bitching really. Or don't give that "ill switch sides - my kids will hate MS too" lmao. ffs. The good thing is that ppl are getting hired the whole tie. and with them being in a studio like that before they will get back to work in no time with their experience.

  • SEVQA #40 3 years ago

    Doesn’t change the fact that MS are a bunch of kuntz!

  • eepic #41 3 years ago

    Microsoft doesnt need this pathetic little studio anyway, fags at $ony can have em.

  • Moonprince #42 3 years ago

    Not the first one silly boy, not the first one.

  • SentientNr6 #43 3 years ago

    Really scary!
    First they kill the age series so that the team can work on a console RTS. (Doubt it will work)
    And then they close the studio.

    Well let's hope the whole team still has enough courage to start anew.

  • Moonprince #44 3 years ago

    Well fuck knuckle, cba to return to this and see the bs you might respond with I’ll just clarify- 1mil or no Rare are pretty shit and quite clearly a waste in any sense of the word. RTS or no, Halo Wars (as crap as it is to play) will out sell it. So point being, if anyone should get the boot it should be Rare.

    Though I think that was obvious and you were just being a cunt ;)

  • SpyroViper #45 3 years ago

    Why don't they just say FU M$ and not bother finishing the game and all walking out and going home? It'll only be M$'s money down the drain..

  • oreillymj #46 3 years ago

    Surprise !! \0/

  • Lov3 #47 3 years ago

    @Dan Whitehead: "It really doesn't make sense, from an objective business perspective, to keep an expensive studio that can only produce games that traditionally don't sell."

    Just want to point out that AOEIII has sold 2 million copies, and Viva Pinata 1/2 million, according to wiki. They were released in 2005 / 2006 respectively. Microsoft's decision may have nothing to do with the value of either studio's as they are, because Ensemble seems to be more profitable. In fact, I have heard nothing good about Rare for a long while now - maybe if they were give the funding and freedom of ensemble, they could make games which were as successful, but also console friendly.

    Ensemble would find a perfect home at Sega I think, but MS seem determined to dissolve them. Sad.