Ensemble Studios

Background: Ensemble Studios was founded in 1995 and located in Dallas, Texas. Since 2001, it was owned by Microsoft. They are most famous for developing the Age of Empires series. In September 2008, it was confirmed Microsoft would shut down the studio following the release of after Halo Wars, as a fiscally-rooted decision. Tony Goodman, along with a number of veteran developers, announced in February 2009 to have founded the studio Robot Entertainment. A second team of about 35 developers announced to have founded Bonfire Studios in the same month, followed by the creation of two more studios: Newtoy and Windstorm Studios.

1st Logo

(October 15, 1997-October 31, 1998)

Logo: On a black background, we see the words ENSEMBLE STUDIOS appear letter by letter, forming circular aura above the tiled Saturn-like moon. The words than fly off, but reappear sliding from the sides and making places in front of the moon. FX/SFX: The formation of the logo. Music/Sounds: Matching drumbeats and two echoing waterdrops, followed by a gong-like sound at the end. Availability: Appeared on Age Of Empires. Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo

(September 30, 1999-July 4, 2002)

Logo: On the same background as the above logo, we see a moon. The camera zooms back, as a yellow aura goes behind the moon, and then, two streaks orbit the eclipse, forming what appears to be a bunch of stones. Then, "Ensemble Studios" appears.

FX/SFX: The formation of the logo.

Music/Sounds: A humming synth.

Availability: Can be seen on Age Of Empires II and strangely kept on the HD version of the game.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo

(October 30, 2002)

The sequence starts at 0:34

Logo: We can see the globe, where civilization prospers and people walk, and then we start to move along the globe. Two dragons fly and pass over, as we zoom out to see the regular model globe fixed on a desk with Moon on a pin. The words of name appear in front of the logo, which itself clears, and the dragon flies to land on E letter. FX/SFX: TBA Music/Sounds: Rather dramatic droning sound with the noise of flying dragons and hammer strikes. Availability: Used in Age Of Mythology. Editor's Note: None. 4th Logo

(October 18, 2005)

The sequence starts at 0:59

Logo: There is an orange map of America with toy soldiers of two sides standing on it and aiming each other. The name is written by invisible pencil between the armies, while three dice cubes roll over the area, one of them slightly pushing the toy soldier. FX/SFX: Moving dice and writing words. Music/Sounds: Sounds of dice and pencil drawing. Availability: Can be seen on Age Of Empires III. Editor's Note: None. 5th Logo

(October 17, 2006-August 24, 2008)

The sequence starts at 1:07

Logo: Blue crystallized company name zooms out to the background, which also becomes light blue, and the spark runs over. FX/SFX: Word zooming and shining in CGI. Music/Sounds: Short uprising soundtrack. Availability: Uncommon. Appeared on two expansions for Age Of Empires III, namely Asian Dynastians and WarChiefs. Editor's Note: None. 6th Logo

(February 26, 2009)

Logo: We see extremely close-up of the glowing Ensemble word, flickering and rapidly zooming out to the rectangle, which has only two edges part and other part cleared out. The name appears to be inside and flickers before ending. FX/SFX: Words flickering and background slightly moving. Music/Sounds: Several circuit sounds and an echoed bang. Availability: Extremely rare. Appeared on Halo Wars for Xbox 360. The still form was also spotted on Age of Empires: Mythologies for NDS. Editor's Note: None.