Halo Wars Goes Gold, Game Demo Ensemble Exits XB360 Live
Halo Wars Game Goes Gold, Ensemble Exits: Microsoft Game Studios announced today that Halo Wars is now ready for manufacturing. With the action strategy game from Ensemble Studios now complete, that unfortunately means that the remaining staff at the developer will be leaving and Ensemble will officially be closed, as was announced last September. Bruce Shelley, who will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame, admitted he was “shocked” by Microsoft’s decision to shutter Ensemble. In a January 16th blog post, Shelley confirmed that Ensemble will be closed at the end of this month. Coincidentally, the closure now comes around the same time as Microsoft’s massive layoffs, which seems to be hitting the Xbox group as well.
It’s a happy day and sad day at the same time, as the highly anticipated Halo Wars is finished, marking the end of days of the heralded Age of Empires studio.
Microsoft Game Studios announced today that Halo Wars is now ready for manufacturing. With the action strategy game from Ensemble Studios now complete, that unfortunately means that the remaining staff at the developer will be leaving and Ensemble will officially be closed, as was announced last September. Bruce Shelley, who will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame, admitted he was “shocked” by Microsoft’s decision to shutter Ensemble. In a January 16th blog post, Shelley confirmed that Ensemble will be closed at the end of this month. Coincidentally, the closure now comes around the same time as Microsoft’s massive layoffs, which seems to be hitting the Xbox group as well.
With Halo Wars now gold, Microsoft said it will release a video documentary series to “explore defining themes of Halo Wars and give viewers a behind the scenes look at the game’s development and some of the people involved in its creation.” The videos can be seen on Xbox Live or from your PC at Xbox/Halo.
A demo for the game will be released on Xbox Live on February 5, in advance of the game’s March 3 launch (Feb. 27 in Europe). The demo will showcase Ensemble’s “groundbreaking control scheme” with optional beginner and advanced tutorials and the game’s first two campaign missions. In addition, the demo will feature “Chasms,” which is one of Halo Wars’ 14 multiplayer maps.
Halo Wars takes place in the Halo universe 20 years prior to the events that unfolded in the original game. It’s also the first in the franchise to be rated Teen, not Mature.
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