 10:33 PM on 09.22.2008 |
|
|
No one saw the closure of Microsoft Games Studios developer Ensemble Studios coming, and that includes the studio’s founder Bruce Shelley. Today Shelley wrote in his blog that Ensemble employees were “shocked” and remain disappointed with MGS’ decision to close the long-time studio responsible for Halo Wars and Age of Empires.
In addition to revealing the impact of the news, Shelley outlines the reasons why he thinks the studio was closed: First, they want to divert the headcount tied up in ES and the costs that are expected to be required to run ES for the next few years into other projects. Second, it sounded like it cost more to run ES on a per person basis than other first party studios (Rare, Lionhead, Forza, Flight Sim) putting us at a disadvantage. (Plus they avoid the expense of a new office that we were planning.) 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.
In case you were worried, Ensemble is still completely committed to Halo Wars. In fact, they're so committed that every spare hand in the studio is working on the title exclusively. The only question that remains is how many passive aggressive swipes at Microsoft will appear in the final version of the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if I read some blurry remarks on the side of a warthog as it rolls down the field this January. [via Edge]
Remember that wonderful Zelda violin cover? With cosplay and everything? Well Lindsey Stirling is back, this time doing a cover of the Halo theme while an all out Spartan war is happening around her. It's a pretty good cover, and I love how the 405th Halo cosplayers are just battling it out. Microsoft's Nancy Tellem came up on stage to talk about Microsoft's new Xbox Entertainment Studio venture, which will expand the Xbox brand into other media.
The big reveal at the show? A live-action Halo TV show by Steven Spielberg. Hoo boy.
Check out our Xbox One page and our on-going recap of all the news you need to know from today's reveals. [Update: Contest over! Winners have been contacted via Dtoid PM.]
Our friends at Titan Books have hooked us up with three codes for The Art of Halo 4 and The Art of Dead Space digital editions! These enhanced editions contain... Kendall Boyd, the global marketing lead at Epic Games, has accepted a position with Microsoft to head-up the marketing for the Halo brand. Boyd had been with Epic since 2010.
Boyd's departure has been affirmed by both Ep... Dark Horse has announced a new Halo comic mini-series called Halo: Initiation and is set to follow Spartan IV Sarah Palmer. The comic is being written by Halo 4 writer and comic veteran Brian Reed, while the artwork is being ...
Musician Sarah Schachner did a little arrangement where she covered the Halo, Modern Warfare 2, and Skyrim themes back-to-back. The covers sound wonderful, and it's all even more impressive once you see that Sarah played every instrument herself.
[Via The Awesomer] Still playing Halo 4's multiplayer but haven't gotten any of the downloadable content yet? Well lucky for you there's a sale going on today where you can get them at a small discounted price.
The War Games Map Pass is running...
Remember when Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9, wanted to make a Halo movie? And it looked like it was going to be amazing? Ah, those were the days. While a Halo movie may never happen, Neill would love to still ta... Five more games will be making their way to Xbox 360's Games on Demand service. Right now you can get Halo 3: ODST, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, and Power Rangers Super Samurai. Next week both X-Men: The Official G... 343 keeps things simple with its Halo 4 DLC. Three map packs, three maps each, no frills, bonuses, or extras involved.
After the fairly underwhelming Crimson Map Pack, which was littered with sprawling vehicle maps that ... |
|
surf dtoid with 
Rising (10+)
People you follow
follow
