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Ensemble Studios Officially Closes Its Doors

F

FrankT

Member
Closing Down: It is hard to believe that the day has finally come when Ensemble Studios closes its doors and we move on to whatever is next. I was employee #4, starting in February of 1995, and will always be grateful to Tony and Rick Goodman for remembering me and getting me involved in what will probably be the defining experience of my career. There was a genuine caring at ES for colleagues, and the games we made, which was special. The mission of our studio was to create a great place to work and make great games, stressed by Tony in that order. I believe we stayed on mission throughout and often it was a lot of fun. It is worth mentioning that about 60% of the people who worked on Age of Empires I were with the studio to the end. And it was a really special group of people who pulled together for the long hours and hard work to finish our last game to our standards.

We are working our way through the final week with mixed emotions. We have a lot to be proud of and new opportunities are beckoning, but it is also sad to see this particular great adventure coming to an end. Boxes are piled in the hallways for trash; people are giving away games and other stuff they don’t want anymore; computers are being wiped; and our corporate IDs are being turned in. Although we will be keeping in touch through some alumni initiatives, many of us may not cross paths again.

There are at least two new studios being formed by ES employees and I expect both to do very well. There were a lot of outstanding game developers here and it will be interesting to see how and what they do, both individually and as new groups, in the years ahead.

Goodbye and Thanks: My expectation is that this is the final ES blog that I will write. I have enjoyed pulling it together for the past several years and sharing with you what I could about the inside workings of a game studio. It was a pleasure and a privilege to showcase the work and fun side of our group.

I do not know at this point if the newly forming game studios will be doing similar blogs or even how you could find out.

On behalf of everyone at ES, past and present, thanks for your support over the years. Your feedback on our games made the next version better. Buying legitimate copies made it possible for us to keep making them. Thanks also to those who wrote us to express regrets about the end of our studio and even the end of this blog.

Have fun,

Bruce Shelley

Published Thursday, January 29, 2009 3:45 PM
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http://www.ensemblestudios.com/blogs/bshelley/archive/2009/01/29/goodbye-and-thanks.aspx

Sad day indeed.
 
MS has decided it has defeated Sony, this was thier aim. this was the reason they brought the Xbox, now they also see that the 360 can make them a profit so they are killing off the other market that was not profiting because of piracy. they are going to purposely kill the PC gaming side so more gamers buy the 360 console.
 
One of the great development houses in the world have finally been closed, this is a dark day for gaming, Ensemble changed everything with the release of Age of Empires and its impact is still felt today
 
Flunkie said:
FINALLY, you say something bannable.
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The influx of casual games REALLY is to blame for studios like Ensemble closing down. So I'm not really sure what you're bitching about. goddam. Unfortunately these developers just aren't all that profitable anymore. goddam.
 
gray_fox224 said:
Wow, laughing at those who lost their jobs huh? Aren't you a classy fuck.
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Not laughing at those who lost their jobs but feeling indifferent of a studio closing down which has provided me with no worthwhile gaming entertainment in years.
 
gray_fox224 said:
Wow, laughing at those who lost their jobs huh? Aren't you a classy fuck.
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Haven't you heard? Reveling in the suffering of others makes you a cool rebel who follows no law but his own.

The influx of casual games REALLY is to blame for studios like Ensemble closing down. So I'm not really sure what you're bitching about. goddam. Unfortunately these developers just aren't all that profitable anymore. goddam.
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So let me see if I'm following you:

1. Casual games sell to market of people who probably aren't running out to buy the latest Age of Empires anyway. In other words, casual games are taking away a non-existent market segment for the product.
2. ???????
3. DESTRUCTION OF CORE GAMING
 
what is up with these terrible comments. there are a few good riddance comments with the turok guys, and now ensemble. pretty despicable.
 
KR3W said:
The influx of casual games REALLY is to blame for studios like Ensemble closing down. So I'm not really sure what you're bitching about. goddam. Unfortunately these developers just aren't all that profitable anymore. goddam.
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Banned sites\memes\words that will most likely get you banned said:
8. Blame Wii Fit (you know why)
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Hm.
 
Cerrius said:
Not laughing at those who lost their jobs but feeling indifferent of a studio closing down which has provided me with no worthwhile gaming entertainment in years.
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How is "good riddance" indifferent...?
 
KR3W said:
really stupid shit
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digging-deeper_header.gif


On the subject here, I did enjoy the classic Age of Empires for a good time. It will be missed, but I've been missing it for a few years now, so..
 
KR3W said:
The influx of casual games REALLY is to blame for studios like Ensemble closing down. So I'm not really sure what you're bitching about. goddam. Unfortunately these developers just aren't all that profitable anymore. goddam.
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Uhhh...

No. It's the casual audience on the 360 that killed the PC studios owned by MS.
 
I find it unbelievable that MS would shutter the studio that has brought them Age of Empires and a BRAND NEW UNRELEASED GAME, a HALO game nonetheless. I don't think I'll support MS with the purchase of Halo Wars. Makes me sick.
 
Wasn't there a story released somewhere today where the lead producer was saying DLC for Halo Wars is possible? Kind of reminds me of Shadowrun and how FASA had ultiple DLC maps planend. :(
 
soldat7 said:
I find it unbelievable that MS would shutter the studio that has brought them Age of Empires and a BRAND NEW UNRELEASED GAME, a HALO game nonetheless. I don't think I'll support MS with the purchase of Halo Wars. Makes me sick.
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Man I always find this thought process weird. They obviously put a lot of effort in this game. I'm playing it.
 
artredis1980 said:
MS has decided it has defeated Sony, this was thier aim. this was the reason they brought the Xbox, now they also see that the 360 can make them a profit so they are killing off the other market that was not profiting because of piracy. they are going to purposely kill the PC gaming side so more gamers buy the 360 console.
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well good thing ms isnt blizzard, valve, or euro devs


sucks ensemble is gone, but big huge games could take on AOE if ms ever wanted another (i loved rise of nations).
 
loved AoE back in the day during my first pc-gaming experience.

now that i'm back they are no more.

fuck you *insert someone to blame*
 
Let me get this straight. Ensemble Studio's closes down, but RARE is still in business? How does that make any sense?
 
:(

AoE2 was a great game, and although it didn't live up to the prequel, I really liked AoE3 as well.

Damn you MS.

titiklabingapat said:
I blame the 360.

And I'm not even kidding!
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I do too.
 
Mashing said:
Let me get this straight. Ensemble Studio's closes down, but RARE is still in business? How does that make any sense?
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Rare makes garbage console games that sell 140,000 copies during the busiest shopping season of the year.

Ensemble makes one of the most revered PC RTS titles with lifetime sales in the 20 million unit range.

It makes perfect sense.
 
Such is life guys. Things change, yeah it sucks, but you have to move on and make the best of what you have. I've been unemployed for 6 months. Each and every day has been just as frustrating as the last, but I know eventually things are going to get better.

That said I hope the people at Ensemble have a better go at things than I've had. Thanks for the good times Ensemble.
 
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