Following its unofficial reveal last week, Robot Entertainment today announced itself to the world, confirming that the independent studio is comprised of Ensemble veterans.

Microsoft has released the third entry in its Halo Wars video documentary series, this one starring several former Ensemble staffers as they discuss the game's controls.

Microsoft has revealed that the downloadable demo for Ensemble Studios' Halo Wars was downloaded more than 2 million times in the week following its February 5 debut.

In addition, the Xbox 360 strategy game demo set a day-one record for demo downloads, and was said to be among Xbox Live's "top demo Read more »

As promised, a downloadable demo for Ensemble Studio's console strategy game Halo Wars is now available from the Xbox 360's online Xbox Live Marketplace.

The demo packs two optional tutorials, the game's first two campaign missions, and a skirmish map that lets players face off against the computer as the Covenant or UNSC. Read more »

Microsoft has released the second entry in its Halo Wars video documentary series, which examines the various units of the forthcoming Xbox 360 real-time strategy game.

Though the final game from the now-closed Ensemble Studios won't arrive until March 3, players will be able to get an early glimpse via a downloadable demo this Thursday. Read more »

Earlier this week, Shacknews paired with Microsoft to give away some early access codes to the Halo Wars demo. And while most of us will have to wait until February 5 to get our hands on the demo, 15 randomly selected winners will have it today.

The final title from soon-to-be-closed Age of Empires creator Ensemble Studios, the science fiction-centric Xbox 360 strategy game hits North American retailers March 3. Read more »

Update: The contest is now closed. Winners will be notified shortly!

Don't want to wait until next week to play Halo Wars? Well, how's tomorrow sound?

While the demo won't publicly available until next Thursday, Shacknews and Microsoft have teamed up to give away 15 codes that'll let you download and play it a week early. Read more »

Still haven't seen a decent overview of Halo Wars? Check out the following video, which features a large cast of Ensemble developers providing a pretty thorough briefing on the console RTS.

Halo Wars hits the Xbox 360 on March 3. A demo with several maps rolls out Feb.5.

Ensemble Studios has wrapped up work on its final game, publisher and studio owner Microsoft announced today, with Halo Wars now complete and off to manufacturing.

The Xbox 360 real-time strategy game launches in North America on March 3. A downloadable demo will be available through the Xbox Live Marketplace on February 5. Read more »

Microsoft's Robbie Bach today announced that a demo of Ensemble's RTS Halo Wars (X360) will hit Xbox Live on February 5.

Halo Wars hits the Xbox 360 on March 3.

See the purple guys in these new Halo Wars screenshots? They're coming for you on March 3, and developer Ensemble too, as the beloved studio, responsible for the Age of Empires series, is closing as soon as the Xbox 360 strategy game is complete.

Halo Wars, the final game from Age of Empires creator Ensemble Studios, will bring real-time strategy to North American Xbox 360s come March 3, Microsoft has revealed.

The Americas will be the last territory to receive the game, with a European release on February 27 and a Japanese / Asia Pacific debut the day before, February 26. Read more »

My interview with Ensemble Studios director of technology Dave Pottinger and lead designer Graeme Devine wasn't all depressing. We did eventually cover the finer details of Halo Wars, their upcoming RTS designed from the ground up for the Xbox 360.

During our extended conversation, Pottinger and Devine described the challenging process of crafting an RTS for a new audience, and talked about the feedback they've received from their casual focus groups. They also touched on what hardcore RTS fans will like about the game, and explained key development choices--including the reason for why the Flood aren't a playable faction. Read more »

New screenshots of Ensemble's Halo Wars have arrived from publisher Microsoft, showcasing a number of the environments and units players will discover in the Xbox 360 real-time strategy game once it arrives in February 2009.

For more on Halo Wars and its soon-to-be-closed developer, check out our hands-on E3 impressions, and keep your eyes open for an updated preview later this week.

It's the developer behind Age of Empires, one of the most successful videogame franchises of all time. It's a financial success, with its flagship franchise recording sales of over 20 million copies.

The company's latest title, Halo Wars, is a console RTS based on the hugely popular shooter series. By all accounts, this was a studio poised to conquer new territory with its dependable design and a popular property. Read more »