Ensemble Studios
Ensemble Studios business and news from across the web.
Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings retrospective – The millennial medieval masterwork proves that there's…This retrospective on Age of Empires 2 highlights its accessible design and enduring appeal within the real-time strategy genre. Despite its age, the game's straightforward mechanics, focus on historical detail, and blend of strategic combat with city-building elements make it a timeless classic. The article also touches on its impactful soundtrack and the nuanced portrayal of conflict and environmental consequences.
Last Chance to Buy These 70+ PS5, PS4 Games in PS Store's Huge Spring SaleThe PlayStation Store's Spring Sale is ending soon, offering significant discounts on over 70 recommended PS5 and PS4 games. The sale, which features titles with at least a 7/10 rating on Push Square, concludes on April 8th, 2026, providing a last chance for players to purchase these titles at reduced prices.
"As soon as it fired up, he'd get up and go to lunch": How Age of Empires' developers tested mission difficultyFormer Ensemble Studios designer Ian Fischer discusses the unique method studio head Tony Goodman used to test mission difficulty in the original Age of Empires: he would leave for lunch and only return if the scenario was not too difficult. This approach aimed to ensure game accessibility, a principle Fischer has carried to his later work, though he cautions against making games too vanilla.