Microsoft publish Age of Empires 3 copies without informing Robot Entertainment of CD-Keys

Microsoft has, bewilderingly released new copies of Age of Empires 3 and its set of expansions including the newly released Age of Empires 3 Collectors edition. One would imagine that Microsoft would be contacting Robot Entertainment so that they can prepare the Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) server to accept the new CD-keys enabling purchasers to play the game online. However it seems that Microsoft have been less forthcoming with Robot Entertainment about these re-releases by not informing Robot Entertainment about these new CD keys leaving purchasers bemused that copies of the game are invalid.

Perhaps someone at Microsoft is emailing the wrong person and has forgotten that the @ensemblestudios.com email address has been shut down.

One must worry from this news about the quality of communication from Microsoft to Robot Entertainment following the closing of internal studio Ensemble. It is sad that poor performance from Microsoft is potentially adversely affecting the reputation of Robot Entertainment who end users believe is offering the support for ESO. Community Manager for Robot Entertainment, Duncan Stanley says:

Microsoft, the publisher of all of the Age of Empires III games and expansions, recently released new copies of the game, and the expansions.

When they did this, they did not give us, Robot Entertainment, the cd-keys first to upload to our server so that people who buy the game can authenticate and create accounts.  Because of this, users may get Error 100 [Bad CD-Key] when trying to create or upgrade an ESO account.

Microsoft and Robot Entertainment are aware of the problem, and we are working to resolve it as speedily as we can.

We will upload the cd-keys to the server as soon as we get them.

 We apologize for the frustration.

We will keep you posted on updates with this unfortunate situation