Tag Archives: tony goodman

Halo Wars may not have been original, but it put a neat spin on Microsoft’s well-known franchise. For Ensemble Studios, it was never meant to be a Halo game. Founder Tony Goodman has spent time discussing the difficult situation faced by his team.

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Tony Goodman, one of the co-creators of Ensemble Studios’ Age Of Empires, has launched a new mobile start up called PeopleFun, telling VentureBeat his firm plans to create “character driven games,” and start small. “We were so successful with our first idea that we never got around to some of our other ideas. We’d like to create character-driven games, like the Nintendo games that we grew up with,” he said. The Texas-based studio includes John Boog-Scoot and Angelo Laudon, also ex-Ensemble Studios staffers. The team will focus on titles for iOS and Android.

Rock Paper Shotgun has listed the new studios formed by now-defunct Ensemble Studios on one pretty page.

It’s a good thing, because we know most people are prone to ADHD, and lists help keep your brain cells organized.

Without further ado, here’s the breakdown:

Robot Entertainment: Started by Ensemble co-founder Tony Goodman in Texas with 45 other Ensemble employees hired on as staff. Currently at work on additional content for Halo Wars, online support for Age of Empires and Halo Wars, and original IP.

Bonfire Studios: Formed by David Rippy and employs 35 staffers. Currently at work on an original, super-secret IP. Promises to have a “strong strategy element” to it.

Windstorm Studios: Dusty Monk wants to bring new life into online gaming. Says new MMO will have brighter colors, cities of glass and steel, and flying cars.

Hope that’s all straightened out.

Robot Entertainment is developing extra content for Halo Wars, as well as providing community support for Age of Empires.

The news was confirmed via press release this morning after word broke over the weekend that ex-Ensemble co-founder Tony Goodman had formed the new company.

“The video game industry is in a state of upheaval,” explained Goodman. “Not just games, but the entire landscape. Everything is changing: where we buy games, how we buy games, how much we pay, how long we play, who we play them with.

“As a fast-moving independent team of game developers, industry leaders and market experts, Robot Entertainment is ideally positioned to play a transformative role in the industry’s future.”

The studio is currently at work on an original property, and employs 45 other ex-Ensemble staff members.

Press release below.

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