While Ensemble Studios – recently shuttered by owners Microsoft – were busy stowing their gear and shutting down operations, Gamasutra thought it’d be an idea to go ask a few more questions about the Halo MMO.
https://lastchance.cc/halo-mmo-was-originally-given-the-green-light-5091560%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Apparently, “everyone at Ensemble expected this MMO to be the new focus of the company”, and work even began on a new building to house the dev team. Down the road, however, “work on the new building stopped”, and it wasn’t much longer until Microsoft closed down the entire studio. A suggestion that the cancellation of Orion led to the studio’s demise, perhaps?
Moving on from Halo, a number of other unreleased projects came to light as concept art and design documents were packed away. There was a “fantasy-adventure RPG”, a “Diablo in space” game, a “pirate-themed take on Diablo”, a “Ratchet & Clank-style platformer” and a cartoony platformer called “Agent”.
Interestingly, one more older project was unveiled: “Phoenix”, an RTS pitting humans vs martians that “changed over time” to become Halo Wars.
The full report – including some concept art for both Orion and Agent – below.
Ensemble Studios: The Last Tour [Gamasutra]
