Microsoft closes studio responsible for MS Flight Simulator

**Admiral Nelson** · January 25, 2009, 01:27 PM

Microsoft Confirms Aces Closure
Studio responsible for Flight Simulator shut down amidst layoffs.
by Jason Ocampo

January 23, 2009 - Microsoft has confirmed the closure of Aces Game Studio, the internal development studio responsible for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Flight Simulator is one of the company's oldest product lines, stretching back more than 20 years. The closure came amidst the company's first major layoffs in its history, announced on Thursday. Approximately 5,000 Microsoft employees will be laid off; around 1,400 were cut immediately, with the remainder to but cut over the next 18 months.

In a statement, Kelda Rericha of Edelman, Microsoft's public relations firm, said that the decision was made within Microsoft's Internal Entertainment Business "to align our people against our highest priorities."

The closure of Aces marks the shuttering of another major developer within Microsoft Game Studios. Since September of 2007, the company has shut down FASA Studio (Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, and Shadowrun), announced the closure of Ensemble Studios (Age of Empires), and Carbonated Games (Hexic HD, Uno). In addition, Bungie, the studio responsible for Halo, left Microsoft Games Studios and became an independent studio, though Microsoft does maintain an ownership stake in it.

Does this mean the end of the Flight Simulator franchise? According to Rericha, "We are committed to the Flight Simulator franchise which has proven to be a successful PC based game for the last 27 years. You should expect us to continue to invest in enabling great LIVE experiences on Windows, including flying games, but we have nothing specific to announce at this time."

The latest victim of Microsoft's "cost-cutting", it seems like Flight Simulator has reached the end of its days.

I guess we can only hope that it is revived sometime in the future.

**english tyrant** · January 25, 2009, 02:08 PM

Its not like Microsoft don't have enough money already, they could just keep on making stuff and make a loss.

**C-Rob** · January 25, 2009, 03:06 PM

not much of a loss on this end.

**Kanaric** · January 25, 2009, 03:13 PM

I remember a while back saying that Flight Sims are pretty much a dead genre, due to gaming being a mass market enterprise for 14 year olds, I guess this is just further evidence of that.

**danzig** · January 26, 2009, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Kanaric

I remember a while back saying that Flight Sims are pretty much a dead genre, due to gaming being a mass market enterprise for 14 year olds, I guess this is just further evidence of that.

Sad thing is when *I* was 14 I was buying Flight Sim along with all Microprose and Sublogic flight sims. 14 year olds today are just too soft!

**C-Rob** · January 25, 2009, 08:31 PM

announced the closure of Ensemble Studios (Age of Empires)

I DID NOT SEE THAT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

**Leonidas_I** · January 26, 2009, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by C-Rob

I DID NOT SEE THAT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Nooooooooooooooooo

**Cyrus the Virus** · January 30, 2009, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by C-Rob

I DID NOT SEE THAT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

After Halo Wars going gold, it was closed permanently on Thursday.

It is worth mentioning that about 60% of the people who worked on Age of Empires I were with the studio to the end. And it was a really special group of people who pulled together for the long hours and hard work to finish our last game to our standards.
...
On behalf of everyone at ES, past and present, thanks for your support over the years. Your feedback on our games made the next version better. Buying legitimate copies made it possible for us to keep making them. Thanks also to those who wrote us to express regrets about the end of our studio and even the end of this blog.

http://www.ensemblestudios.com/blogs...nd-thanks.aspx

**C-Rob** · January 30, 2009, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Cyrus the Virus

After Halo Wars going gold, it was closed permanently on Thursday.

http://www.ensemblestudios.com/blogs...nd-thanks.aspx

I think I just turned emo...

**Thanatos** · January 26, 2009, 12:08 AM

"Align our people against our highest priorities?"

Doggone it, I utterly despise and abhor business PC talk. Just say they didn't think it was going to make enough money, so they scrapped it. Don't try to butter it up with nonsensical business sophistry speak.

**danzig** · January 26, 2009, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Thanatos

"Align our people against our highest priorities?"

Doggone it, I utterly despise and abhor business PC talk. Just say they didn't think it was going to make enough money, so they scrapped it. Don't try to butter it up with nonsensical business sophistry speak.

It sold 1 million copies and however many copies in the series history...dunno what else microsoft expects. 1mil is pretty good number.

**hellheaven1987** · January 26, 2009, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by danzig

It sold 1 million copies and however many copies in the series history...dunno what else microsoft expects. 1mil is pretty good number.

It only sold one million??:hmmm:

No wonder Microsoft close it...

**Inhuman One** · January 26, 2009, 02:38 AM

no loss for me, flying a plane in Saint's Row 2 is enough flight simulation for me.

**Aetius** · January 26, 2009, 02:47 AM

Thats too bad.

I played Combat flight simulator and it was good enough for me back n the day. Just another element of my past that is now dead.

Ensemble though...deserves to be shut down after AoEIII.

**Pious Agnost** · January 27, 2009, 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by Aetius

Thats too bad.

I played Combat flight simulator and it was good enough for me back n the day. Just another element of my past that is now dead.

Ensemble though...deserves to be shut down after AoEIII.

QFT!

**paokmam** · January 27, 2009, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Admiral Nelson

The latest victim of Microsoft's "cost-cutting", it seems like Flight Simulator has reached the end of its days.

I guess we can only hope that it is revived sometime in the future.

s! They use the so called financial crisis in order to fire people and make more profits!!!! I hate them!!!
Flight Simulator was a top seller!!!

**Pious Agnost** · January 27, 2009, 02:28 AM

Originally Posted by paokmam

s! They use the so called financial crisis in order to fire people and make more profits!!!! I hate them!!!
Flight Simulator was a top seller!!!

They could've gotten rid of it at any time before the financial crisis, it was definitely not a top seller

**Roman Knight** · January 27, 2009, 04:04 AM

How come no one considers Train Simulator?!

**So Much Fire** · January 27, 2009, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Roman Knight

How come no one considers Train Simulator?!

Mainly because the average age of the flight sim community was pretty high and probably has been slowly growing as many of them are retired pilots looking to continue what they were doing for so many years. The Train Sim franchise is a very niche market.