Ensemble Studios

Ensemble Studios
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Predecessor	Ensemble Corporation
Founded	1994; 32 years ago
Founder	Tony Goodman
Defunct	January 29, 2009
Fate	Dissolved
Successor	Robot Entertainment, Bonfire Studios, Zynga Dallas, Windstorm Studios, Boss Fight Entertainment
Headquarters	Dallas (later Plano), Texas, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Tony Goodman (Founder)
Products	Age of Empires series, Age of Mythology, Halo Wars, Genie Game Engine
Owner	Microsoft (2001–2009)
Number of employees	Up to 120 (planned in 2008) (2008)
Parent	Microsoft (2001–2009)

Ensemble Studios was a United States-based video game developer established by Tony Goodman in 1994 and officially incorporated the following year. Its name derived from Ensemble Corporation, a consulting company also founded by Goodman in 1990. After being purchased by Microsoft in 2001, Ensemble functioned as an internal development team until its dissolution in 2009. The studio was renowned for its expertise in real-time strategy titles, particularly the Age of Empires franchise, as well as Age of Mythology and Halo Wars. Additionally, Ensemble created the Genie Game Engine, which powered games such as Age of Empires, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. Over its lifespan, Ensemble sold more than 20 million copies of its games and was valued at around $500 million.

Games

The Age of Empires franchise, including Age of Empires, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, and Age of Empires III, along with their respective expansions, were developed by Ensemble Studios. They also produced the spin-off title Age of Mythology and its associated expansion packs. The studio's final project was the Xbox 360 real-time strategy game Halo Wars.

Release Date	Title	Genre
1997	Age of Empires	real-time strategy
1998	Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome	expansion pack
1999	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings	real-time strategy
2000	Age of Empires II: The Conquerors	expansion pack
2001	Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds	real-time strategy
2002	Age of Mythology	real-time strategy
2002	Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Clone Campaigns	expansion pack
2003	Age of Mythology: The Titans	expansion pack
2005	Age of Empires III	real-time strategy
2006	Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs	expansion pack
2007	Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties	expansion pack
2009	Halo Wars	real-time strategy
Cancelled	Titan (Halo MMO)	massively multiplayer online game
	Sorcerer	fantasy-adventure role-playing game
	Nova
	Wrench	platform game
	Bam
	Agent

Closure and legacy

In 1998, Rick Goodman departed from Ensemble Studios to establish the independent developer Stainless Steel Studios. Two years later, in 2000, Brian Sullivan also left to found Iron Lore Entertainment, which went on to create the action RPG title Titan Quest.

Microsoft acquired Ensemble Studios in 2001 for $100 million and maintained its Dallas headquarters until moving operations to a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Plano, Texas, in 2008. This location was designed to house up to 120 employees.

In late 2008, Microsoft announced that Ensemble would be shuttered following the release of Halo Wars in early 2009. Non-critical personnel were laid off immediately, while remaining staff were incentivized to complete the final project. The studio officially ceased operations on January 29, 2009. At the time of closure, at least two new development companies were being launched by former Ensemble team members.

In February 2009, former Ensemble founder Tony Goodman launched Robot Entertainment, recruiting many ex-Ensemble employees. Shortly thereafter, producer David Rippy founded Bonfire Studios, which was later acquired by Zynga and renamed Zynga Dallas. This studio independently published one title.

Also in 2008, brothers David and Paul Bettner—both Ensemble alumni—created Newtoy, Inc., releasing the iPhone games Chess With Friends (2008) and Words With Friends (2009). Newtoy was subsequently acquired by Zynga and rebranded as Zynga With Friends.

In March 2009, former staff member Dusty Monk founded the solo venture Windstorm Studios, which closed in 2012 when Monk joined Robot Entertainment.

A fifth company, Boss Fight Entertainment, was formed in June 2013 by former employees from Ensemble and Zynga Dallas. Based in McKinney, Texas, Boss Fight specializes in mobile gaming and was acquired by Netflix Inc. in 2022.

External links