Robot Ent. reveals Orcs Must Die; Gas Powered Games takes over Age of Empires Online

Robot Entertainment announces a new title, Orcs Must Die, and loses another. Gas Powered Games has taken over as developer of Age of Empires Online...

Xav de Matos

February 24, 2011 8:30 PM

Robot Entertainment, the developer founded by members of the now defunct dev Ensemble Studios, has announced a new project: Orcs Must Die! Coming to "personal computers and consoles this summer," Orcs Must Die will strive to blend action and strategy. Sounding a little like a never ending Horde Mode, players will have to contend with waves of an Orc onslaught as they attempt to defend their fortress. To aid in defending their land, players can set up traps throughout the fortress to stomp out the Orc menace. The game is noted as exclusively available as a "digital download," pointing to the XBLA and PSN as probable console destinations alongside the game's PC version. As soon as Robot announced a new title, a previous game in the company's portfolio was removed. The official site for the upcoming, free-to-play title Age of Empires Online has confirmed that developer Gas Powered Games has taken over the development from Robot Entertainment. Gas Powered Games recently released Supreme Commander 2 with publisher Square Enix.

Age of Empires Online

Presumably in an effort to knock tinfoil hats off suspicious heads, executive producer Danan Davis for Age of Empires Online wrote on the game's official blog: "This has been the plan for some time, and we're excited to share the great work GPG has been doing. In working with GPG, it’s become clear they share our long-term commitment to make this a success." Davis thanked Robot for their "amazing work" and wished them luck on their future projects; thankfully, Robot just finished announcing one. According to the Robot Entertainment website, Orcs Must Die will be playable at PAX East 2011, which runs from March 11 through March 13.

Xav de Matos

Xav de Matos was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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February 24, 2011 8:30 PM

Comment on Robot Ent. reveals Orcs Must Die; Gas Powered Games takes over Age of Empires Online, by Xav de Matos.
- XAVdeMATOS
  
   reply
  February 24, 2011 8:33 PM
  
  Quick Summary for Chatty: Robot Entertainment announces a new title, Orcs Must Die, and loses another. Gas Powered Games has taken over as developer of Age of Empires Online...
- bipolar
  
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  February 24, 2011 8:43 PM
  
  Man, Ensemble made some of my all time favorite RTS games and now (in the form of Robot Ent) they're gonna make a XBLA tower defense game? :(
- greasyjohn
  
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  February 24, 2011 8:51 PM
  
  Age of Empires Facebook game, from the makers of Demigod.
  
  I'd laugh if only it weren't so sad.
  - JarEme
    
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    February 24, 2011 8:53 PM
    
    Age of Empires Facebook game, from the makers of Demigod Total Annihilation.
    
    Made it better there... or worse. I dunno.
    - sasquatchxing
      
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      February 25, 2011 8:47 PM
      
      It's not a facebook game it actually isn't that bad.
- baron calamity
  
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  February 24, 2011 9:12 PM
  
  This sucks. I mean, I like what I see of Orcs Must Die. I like Gas powered Games also. Since Age of Empires is a "long-term commitment" means they won't get around to making anything else like their Castle game.
  - schnitz76
    
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    February 25, 2011 6:34 AM
    
    I look at it as they probably won't be going out of business soon. When they announced they were putting that game on hold I was afraid that was going to be the next thing they were going to announce. I am glad it's that they are working on something.
- Gore87
  
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  February 25, 2011 6:22 AM
  
  This looks like it could be a pretty neat game, tower defense is a fun genre but its gotten a bit stale lately. Nice to see games like this Dungeon Defenders following in the footsteps of Iron Grip.
- Madwacker
  
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  February 25, 2011 8:36 AM
  
  Wow. That's pretty sucky. There goes AoE Online.
- daggot
  
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  February 25, 2011 8:46 AM
  
  That'll be pre-ordered as soon as it's on Steam. Nice.
  - daggot
    
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    February 25, 2011 8:50 AM
    
    With this kind of format, co-op would be possible. That would be a new twist to tower defense. Toy Soldier was a good twist too.
- sasquatchxing
  
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  February 25, 2011 8:52 PM
  
  The Beta of the game is pretty complete so there isn't that much for them to take over. Also the game plays like AOE meets zelda: wind waker the graphics style changed but the gameplay is pretty good.