Ex-Ensemble staff form Robot (CVG 16/2/09)

Ex-Ensemble veterans including co-founder Tony Goodman have formed a new studio called Robot Entertainment.

Robot is the first of two studios said to be rising from the ashes of the now-closed Age of Empires developer, though it's unclear who will be responsible for Halo Wars' post-release patches and housework.

Speaking on ex-Ensemble staff's future at the new developers, ex-studio boss Bruce Shelley said: "There were a lot of outstanding game developers [at Ensemble] and it will be interesting to see how and what they do, both individually and as new groups, in the years ahead.""

Microsoft closed the developer in what it called a "a fiscally-rooted decision that keeps [Microsoft Game Studios] on its growth path."

Ensemble's last game, Halo Wars, is out in Europe next week on Friday, February 27.