Microsoft Confirms the Closing of Ensemble

Confirmation has come fast in regard to rumors surfacing earlier today that Microsoft would be closing its internal developer Ensemble Studios upon the completion of sci-fi real-time strategy game Halo Wars. In a statement issued today, Microsoft confirmed that Ensemble will be shut down once the Xbox 360-exclusive RTS set in the best-selling Halo franchise ships out early next year.

"The team at Ensemble has made invaluable contributions to the games industry with their Age of Empires and Age of Mythology games and with the highly anticipated release of Halo Wars," the publisher said in a statement. "This decision does not reflect at all on Ensemble’s talent or the quality of Halo Wars--in fact, many people who have had a chance to test drive Halo Wars agree that it is on track to being a fantastic game."

Though Microsoft will close the studio, Ensemble brass plan to soldier on. As part of today's statement, Microsoft said that Ensemble's "leadership team" will form a new development house, and has already entered into an agreement with the publisher to continue supporting Halo Wars post-launch, "as well as work on other projects with Microsoft Game Studios."

Commenting on the reason for the closure, Microsoft said, "This was a fiscally rooted decision that keeps MGS on its growth path. While the decision to dissolve Ensemble was not an easy one, Microsoft is working to place as many Ensemble employees who do not move to the newly formed studio into open positions within Microsoft as possible."

As noted earlier today, the Age of Empires brand has sold more than 20 million units since the first installment debuted on the PC in 1997. According to the NPD Group, Ages of Empires III for the PC has sold 1.15 million units in the US alone through July 2008, with The Warchiefs expansion tallying nearly 305,000 more. (The second expansion, Asian Dynasties, was developed by Rise of Nations creators Big Huge Games.)

Boy Kills Himself Acting out Halo 3!

Another alleged videogame related death. This time involving the popular Xbox shooter Halo. 11 year old Johnson Creek boy Nimm was apparently a big fan of Halo, even taking a liking to firearms after playing the futuristic FPS. While at home skipping school Nimm was apparently trying to imitate moves from the game with his .22 caliber rifle (a common pastime for the child). However he did not obviously grasp that a round could still be loaded in the chamber even when the magazine ejected and was found shot through the head yesterday.

An 11-year-old Johnson Creek boy died from a gunshot wound Thursday at his home. Foul play is not suspected and the sheriff's department said this morning it appears the shooting was accidental.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, dispatchers received a report of the shooting in the town of Farmington at approximately 2:15 p.m. Thursday. The deceased person was Joshua J. Nimm, 11, of W5098 River Road, Johnson Creek.

Deputies, along with personnel from the Johnson Creek Police Department, Johnson Creek EMS and Fort Atkinson paramedics, all responded to the residence where the shooting occurred.

There, with his father, Nimm was located with a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead by the Jefferson County Coroner's office about 35 minutes later. The cause of death was ruled to be a single, .22 caliber gunshot wound to the head.

The New "Halo" or Halo 4?

Many rumors have been traveling all about the web, such as Bungie working on new "Halo" games.
Yeah, I would love to have a new Halo 4 as the next person, but is that what Bungie is aiming for?

Well recent news with a man high enough with Bungie to actually believe him, says the new game is neither Halo 4 nor Halo Wars. I mean, what game sounds cool with a four after it other than Call of Duty. Here is my take. Halo 3 was great but not excellent, it was fantastic but not outstanding, it had pizazz but not enough spice. The game is amazing for sure, but it lacks something. Now what that is... I have no idea... but I know that it's there.

I believe there will be a combination of hardcore gaming (Gears of War), tactical;real-life (Call of Duty 4), and good old... let's pwn some noobz. Here is what I think should be the main focus and what the game needs.

1. Different Gameplay Style
2. More Hardcore Gaming
3. No Tactics, but real-life sort of take on it
4. More customizable
5. Better Machinama capable (Theater Transfer?)
6. Excellent Graphics
7. Different Camera Take
8. More Spice
9. More Games such as Grifball
10. Better Sounds (not soundtrack)
11. It should be called "Gears Duty of Halo I"

If you ask me, the game should be coming soon...as in early next year or mid next year. Obviously, it isn't going to be Halo 4, but similar gameplay with a different take on it (could be good or bad, depends)

Be sure to check back for more game reviews and future possibilities to come. After Halo 19, now all Microsoft has to do is offer free Microsoft Points... oh wait... I already know how to get them. Just check out the top posts in the upper right corner of the page for a how-to.