Halo Wars DLC is released by Robot Entertainment!
Hot off the press! Halo Wars DLC has been released on Xbox Live for 800 points! I shall be reviewing the DLC shortly but in the meanwhile I suggest you check out the official blurb below on halowars.com
“Halo Wars” fans can continue the fight in the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console. Mixing up the battlefield like never before, Microsoft and Robot Entertainment unleash new game modes in “Strategic Options” today on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points.
“Strategic Options,” the first Game Add-on for the wildly popular “Halo Wars,” introduces new ways to compete while challenging players to rethink their battle strategies in both single and multiplayer skirmish gameplay. The three new game modes included in the new Game Add-on are:
- Keepaway Mode: In this “Halo Wars” adaptation of Capture the Flag, teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. The number of Sentinels needed to win scales with the number of combatants.
- Tug of War Mode: Players must build a stronger army than their opponents to succeed. Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.
- Reinforcement Mode: Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy, all the while facing successive waves of incoming units.
The “Strategic Options” Game Add-on is available on May 19, 2009 on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 MS Points. “Halo Wars” is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ PEGI and is available worldwide exclusively on Xbox 360. A demo is also available on Xbox LIVE in all LIVE enabled regions worldwide. For more information including screenshots from the “Strategic Options” Add-on, visit Xbox.com/Halo or HaloWars.com.
Play Age of Empires 2 and Age of Mythology via Gametap
A new agreement online games download company “Gametap” has signed a new deal with Microsoft Game Studios to offer classics such as Ensemble Studios’ Age of Empires 2 and Age of Mythology. The GameTap model allows users to pay $10 a month to access a library of classic games. You can find out more details on the website.
If you havnt played Age2 or Mythology then what are you waiting for? Head on over to GameTap!
Halo Wars DLC confirmed titled “Strategic options”
Microsoft has published its news release about the upcoming Halo Wars DLC “Strategic options” . The DLC has been worked on in part by Ensemble Studios and part by Robot Entertainment. Ensemble’s ex Lead Designer Graeme Devine has previously stated that the DLC was nearly finished at the time of shipping.
“The main thing is that DLC was built into the game design from the very beginning so we’ve actually been working on DLC all along, It was never the plan to finish the game THEN start work on the DLC”- Graeme Devine
Robot has been working diligently since the release of the game to make balance patches, bug fixes and complete the testing of the upcoming DLC. Both a title update (a forced download) and the DLC will be made available soon.
No details on the pricing of the DLC of yet, nor an official date has been set but expect to find out very soon. The official press release from Microsoft follows:
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Strategic Options Add-on for Halo Wars
Published April 21, 2009
Halo Wars™, the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console, mixes up the battlefield like never before with the Strategic Options Game Add-on Pack, available in the coming weeks exclusively on Xbox 360®.
Build the stronger army in Tug of War.
Strategic Options ushers in the next wave of battle for Halo Wars with three new game modes which dramatically change the multiplayer experience and challenge you to rethink your battle tactics.
Defeat waves of enemies in Reinforcement.
- Keepaway Mode: This is the Halo Wars adaptation of “Capture the Flag.” Teams battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.
- Tug of War Mode: This mode is all about having a stronger army than your opponent. Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings, and resources left standing in the end.
- Reinforcement Mode: All active battle units are provided in successive waves. Adapt to their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.
Capture the Forerunner in Keepaway.
Strategic Options also adds four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points:
- One and Done: Score the winning point in a game of Keepaway against Legendary A.I.’s
- Pull Hard, Pull Deep: Win and never trail in a Tug of War game
- Freak on a Streak: Gain at least 15 population from a single wave in a Reinforcement game
- Living Loving Bug: Obtain a Scarab during a Reinforcement game
Haven’t tried Halo Wars yet? A free demo is also available on Marketplace. The full-featured demo includes two levels of the Campaign mode, plus a one-on-one Skirmish battle between the USNC and Covenant.
Halo Wars
Set in the iconic Halo universe, Halo Wars predates the original first-person shooter Halo. Experience the early battles between the UNSC and Covenant, the far-reaching conflict that has been diligently followed by the masses in the blockbuster Halo series.
So where are they now? Dallas Observer discusses Robot, Bonfire and Windstorm
No, thats not a picture of Ensemble Studios’ old offices. Instead it is a picture of a near by building which was demolished before the closure of Ensemble Studios as discussed in Bruce’s Blog.
You may be wondering where Robot and Bonfire are based now that they have disbanded from Ensemble. Well the Dallas Observer revealed today that Bonfire Studios has taken up the helm in Ensemble Studios old offices in Dallas. Robot Entertainment on the other hand are based in Plano.
It may be assumed that Robot have taken up offices in Plano and that these offices are the same offices that Ensemble Studios was planning to move into before its closure. One might also remember that Bruce Shelley hinted in his blog that with Microsoft shutting down the studio means that they no longer have to pay for these new offices.
With Robot moving out of the old Dallas offices and moving into Plano this may explain why its taken a little longer for them to get thier website up and running. No doubt the move involved lots of work re-creating an IT Infrastructructure for the company.
More information on this can be found here in the Dallas observer: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/040409dnmetvideogames.3b84ec9.html
Gamespot interviews David Rippy. Talks about Ensemble’s closure and whats happening with Bonfire!
Quick update here – Gamespot have managed to hold a Q&A session with Bonfire head and ex producer at Ensemble, David Rippy. David talks about some of the things surrounding Ensemble’s closure though he much re-iterates what Bruce Shelley has said in the past that Ensemble has lost sync with the vision of its parent (Microsoft). He goes on to talk about what it is like to start an independent studio in the economic climate and how it differs from being an independent developer from an acquired developer.
A good read here: http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6206580.html
Ensemble’s Halo Wars sells a million copies already, becomes the fastest selling console RTS ever!
Great news for Halo, RTS and Ensemble fans as Microsoft has revealed that Halo Wars has ALREADY sold more than a million copies and has become the best selling RTS of this console generation! What a great reason to celebrate!
Outstanding job Ensemble!
This news is somewhat bittersweet as despite Halo Wars outstanding early success the studio was shut down. Hopefully Robot, Bonfire, Windstorm will have the resources they need to keep making great games.
Good job!
Sources:
http://www.t3.com/news/halo-wars-becomes-the-best-selling-rts?=38421
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/23064/24088/halo-wars-sells-millionth-game.phtml
http://www.virginmedia.com/games/gamingnews/news-story.php?storyid=37317869
Oh and by the way… Its not over yet, Robot is working on DLC as we speak!
Two new companies to form out of Ensemble
Bruce Shelley confirmed in his blog that there will be two new companies forming out of Ensemble employees. One of those studios will be providing support for ESO (Ensemble Online) and Halo Wars and it is presumed that this studio will be run by Ensemble head Tony Goodman though this has not been confirmed. It is completely unknown as to who may be leading the other company. One might ask why Tony Goodman’s new studio is not employing all of Ensemble’s staff. This is because the new studio will not have enough resources and size to employ everyone unfortunately. However as both studios gain momentum there is nothing to stop a partnership in the future.
Strangely enough Microsoft have announced that they want to have a relationship with the “new” Ensemble and that there is very good possibility of games being created under the Microsoft Games Studio banner. There has been no news yet as to what projects the studio will be working on but AOE4 and Halo Wars 2 are possibilities.
Ensemble visionary Bruce Shelley will not be joining either company, sadly. Stay tuned for updates on these new companies.
Below are some links to recent news articles about Ensemble Studios:
Ensemble staff to form two new studios Former employees will continue work on popular titles through new entities – GamesIndustry.Biz
Ensemble involved in Halo Wars’ future
Microsoft Game Studios “very excited” about series potential – GamesIndustry.biz
Bruce Shelley Shares His Thoughts on Ensemble Studios Shutting Down – Softpedia
