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A lot of folks in the gaming industry were shocked when they learned that Microsoft was closing Ensemble Studios, the team behind the upcoming Halo Wars. No one was more surprised however than studio boss Bruce Shelley, who thought that his was one of the outfits that was "immune" to corporate fat-trimming. Shelley has posted some thoughts on his blog about the decision, elaborating on what went down and why Ensemble is no more.
"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.”
"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."
As for the reasons why Microsoft decided to close the developer, Shelley offers the following explanation:
"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.”
"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."
Through this announcement we also learned that for a time Ensemble had been in charge of the now defunct Halo MMO. The game was in development through 2006 and 2007 but was then canned by Microsoft before it was ever even officially announced. The team is still on track to finish Halo Wars, due out next year, before packing up their desks but that will be the last project we see from this talented outfit.
"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.”
"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."
As for the reasons why Microsoft decided to close the developer, Shelley offers the following explanation:
"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.”
"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."
Through this announcement we also learned that for a time Ensemble had been in charge of the now defunct Halo MMO. The game was in development through 2006 and 2007 but was then canned by Microsoft before it was ever even officially announced. The team is still on track to finish Halo Wars, due out next year, before packing up their desks but that will be the last project we see from this talented outfit.
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