Image Credit: Bethesda
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

Microsoft Says Age Of Empires Is Still Kicking

This article is over 16 years old and may contain outdated information
image

Microsoft has pulled the plug on Ensemble Studios but the company says that doesn’t mean the Age of Empires franchise is dead and buried.

Microsoft confirmed yesterday that Ensemble Studios, best known for the Age of Empires and Age of Mythology series of RTS games, would be closed after the completion of its latest effort, Halo Wars. Despite words about the studio’s “invaluable contributions to the game industry” and statements that Halo Wars is “on track to being a fantastic game,” Microsoft’s Shane Kim said the studio was being shuttered for financial reasons “that keeps MGS [Microsoft Game Studios] on its growth path.”

But a Gamerscore Blog post by Games For Windows Director Kevin Unangst promised that the end of Ensemble doesn’t mean the end of Age of Empires. “As many of you have heard, Ensemble Studios will be closing after Halo Wars is complete,” he wrote. “If you’re a PC gamer, you’ve likely played some version of Age of Empires somewhere along the line. I want to reassure you that Microsoft will still own the Age of Empires intellectual property.

“As a company, we’re very excited about the future potential for Age of Empires, and as a PC gamer I’m looking forward to what the future holds,”he continued. “Stay tuned.”

It’s not exactly an iron-clad promise of more Age of Empires, but the implication is pretty strong. Of course, the obvious question is, if Microsoft does have plans for the franchise, why can the very studio that originated the game and made it a success? And where’s the love for Age of Mythology?

via: Gamasutra

Recommended Videos

The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Ā Learn more about our Affiliate Policy