Halo Wars studio to close say Microsoft
Microsoft have told Ensemble Studios that once they finish Halo Wars they can shut up shop...
Why in a booming video games industry can a developer working on one of the most successful games close?
As Tony Goodman says on the Ensemble web site "It was a shock to everyone at Ensemble Studios, still working on Halo Wars"
Microsoft say it isn't a reflection of talent or quality from Ensemble but market forces, and they promise to try and find new position for the staff within the company.
What now for Halo Wars? Halo Wars was the first spinoff of the highly successful Halo video game on the Xbox 360? Halo 3 sales top over 8 million games in less than a year. Ensemble studios have a good track record with PC video game Age of Empires.
Does this mean Microsoft are giving up on these Xbox 360 and PC titles? Not at all say Microsoft - 'We are committed to strategy video games like Age of Empires and Halo Wars.
Let's all hope that Halo Wars and Age of Empires is not the last video games we see from the Microsoft Games for windows label.