The Age of Empires III: Complete Collection announced

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that a new Age of Empires III compilation package is coming to retail nationwide. Dubbed Age of Empires III: Complete Collection, the package includes the original game plus two expansion packs, Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties and Age of Empires III: War Chiefs, developed collaboratively by Big Huge Games and Ensemble Studios for the PC.

The Age of Empires III: Complete Collection will be offered at the estimated retail price of $49.95 (€54.99). It kind of makes me sad to think that the next Age of Empires game definitely won’t be developed by either Ensemble Studios (who have been broken up into different little start-ups) or Big Huge Games (purchased by 38 Studios).

Brian Reynolds gets social, joins Zynga

Social games company Zynga today appointed Brian Reynolds to the newly created position of chief designer. Reynolds will lead the product development team and will be responsible for developing new social strategy games.

Reynolds is best known for his leading roles in Firaxis Games and Big Huge Games and design work on several smash hits including Civilization II, Alpha Centauri, and Rise of Nations, as well as Catan for Xbox360 Live Arcade. Reynolds’ videogames have sold over six million copies worldwide.

Reynolds will head up operations at Zynga East, expanding the company’s presence on the East Coast. In 2009 this office will begin with 12-15 employees, including game designers, web developers (PHP, MySQL, Flash), artists, and producers. Based in Baltimore, Md., production efforts will be focused on creating new social network games on Facebook and other platforms–particularly games with a strategic emphasis.

Big huge Games was purchased earlier this year by Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios from THQ. During that time 38 Studios said that Reynolds would serve as a consultant to the company. We assume that will still be the case despite this new gig.

38 Studios talks Big Huge acquisition

Now that Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios has pulled Big Huge Games out of the fire (see today’s announcement), we have a few questions on what all this means to the future of games like Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends, Brian Reynolds’ level of involvement, and the future of the role-playing game being developed by Ken Ralston. To get those questions answered, we turn to Brett Close, President and Chief Executive Officer of 38 Studios, who was nice enough to answer some questions about the deal.

Crispy Gamer: what did 38 Studios acquire when it purchased BHG from THQ?

Brett Close: The acquisition includes: All rights (including associated code, development tools, and trademarks) to Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends, the unnamed RPG and other products in process, and all BHG’s rights and interests in Catan and Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties. All BHG IP, including registered IP, corporate name, and other non-specified development tools and code. Various software licenses, including Havok , PS3 dev kits, and Xbox 360 dev kits.  

Crispy Gamer: How much did it cost?

Brett Close: 38 Studios is a privately held company and does not reveal terms of deals. All discussion of specific terms and conditions of this deal are mandated confidential by contract.

Crispy Gamer: Was Brian Reynolds be part of the deal?

Brett Close: Brian will continue to work with Big Huge Games in an ongoing consultant role.

Crispy Gamer: Will 38 publish the RPG Ken Rolston was working on for THQ?

Brett Close: 38 Studios is not a publisher. The company is an entertainment and original IP creation company. There is much planning and discussion that needs to occur in the wake of the acquisition. But rest assured that the BHG team is working on a number of great products. Look for announcements in the future about releases and dates.

Crispy Gamer: Will BHG return to its roots under 38 and make strategy games again?

Brett Close: BHG is working on a number of great products. Look for announcements in the future about releases and dates.

38 Studios acquires Big Huge Games from THQ

38 Studios has saved Big Huge Games this morning. The company founded by Red Sox pitching sensation Curt Schilling has purchased Big Huge Games from THQ for an undisclosed amount of money. Obviously, this is great news for BHG, who faced closure and mass layoffs if THQ had not found a suitable buyer for the studio best known for creating Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends. Big Huge Games will help with the development of 38 Studios’ MMO currently codenamed “Copernicus” and continue to work on Ken Rolston’s role-playing game title for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows PC.

The Big Huge Games team will be integrated into 38 Studios but will remain based in Timonium, Maryland. Beyond adding a talented roster of brand name developers to its line-up (Jason Coleman, Dave Inscore, Tim Train, Ken Rolston), today’s announcement further solidifies 38 Studios as serious force to be reckoned with in the interactive entertainment industry.

Now for some complimentary quotes from the leaders of 38 Studios and Big Huge Games about today’s announcement:

“It’s always about team,” said 38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling. “The highly regarded developers at BHG, including leading role-playing and real-time strategy design teams led by Ken Rolston, are a perfect complement to 38 Studios’ staggering array of talent. Big Huge Games is a phenomenal team and, culturally, a natural fit.”

“The acquisition of Big Huge Games will be tremendously beneficial to the growth, market position, financial stability, and long-term success of 38 Studios,” said Brett Close, CEO and President, 38 Studios. “BHG’s cross-platform RTS/RPG engine will accelerate the realization of our Online Entertainment experience for the Copernicus IP. The acquisition enables us to develop and deliver top-quality games in multiple genres that are based in a shared world, ultimately maximizing the value of our Copernicus MMOG and the intellectual property as a whole.”

“Big Huge Games and 38 Studios share a common vision – to deliver the most engaging, compelling, original experiences possible,” said Tim Train, CEO of Big Huge Games. “Joining the 38 Studios family allows us to continue translating our passions into great games.”

Today’s announcement leaves many unanswered questions, but we managed to get Brett Close from 38 Studios to give a bit of background in the following . Check it out right here, and look for some interesting announcements later this year from 38 Studios.

Game Developers eXchange: Don’t Miss It

The Game Developers eXchange, a unique event that is disseminating information in real-time via Twitter and streaming video, is happening right now and you need to know more about it. Sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design , the Game Developers eXchange has brought together game developers, educators and students with experts who are sharing their wisdom about the game industry.

This year (the event is in its fifth year) the Game Developers eXchange is focusing on a trio of important topics including game art that focuses on aesthetics; game design that focuses on rules, system design, prototyping and immersion; and the synergy of level design as it relates to game and art design.

Today’s speakers include Andrew Bains, senior level designer of the “Gears of War” series from Epic Games and art-game genius Jason Rohrer, who will serve as keynoters for the event. Also speaking will be Jason Arnone, art manager at Harmonix; Richard Dansky of Red Storm Entertainment; Mark Nelson of Big Huge Games; and Brenda Brathwaite, a game designer and professor of game development and interactive design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Those interested in watching this unfold live can visit www.twitter.com/SCADdotEDU or watch it as it happens on scad.tv. Andrew Bains will give his presentation at 5 PM EST on SCAD TV.

For a full list of speakers, check out the GDX Speakers page.

Vigil, Volition keeping busy

According to GameSpot story, a slide seen in an THQ investors’ presentation from February (click the screenshot to the left to check it out) offers a sneak peek at its release schedule for the next few fiscal quarters.

THQ’s in-house studios Vigil, Volition and Relic are hard at work on several games:

Vigil

Volition

Relic:

Also in the presentation, THQ promised a continued emphasis on its popular wrestling and fighting franchises, as well as more games from developers Kaos Studios (Frontlines), Juice Games (Juiced) and Blue Tongue (de Blob and the upcoming Marvel Super Hero Squad).

Conspicuously absent from the presentation was Big Huge Games, which is working on an as yet unnamed RPG headed up by Ken Rolston of Oblivion and Morrowind fame. BHG was recently hit with numerous layoffs and THQ has said it is looking for a buyer for the studio.

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Big Huge Games For Sale

THQ has informed us that if the company can’t sell Big huge Games it will be forced to close the studio. In a statement, which was a reaction to a story earlier today about layoffs at Big Huge Games, THQ’s Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Julie MacMedan, told us that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the “near future.”

The company also said that it has notified Los Angeles-based Heavy Iron Studios and Carlsbad-based Incinerator that they will become independent companies.

THQ says that this is all part of the company’s business realignment that it announced earlier this year. Full statement from THQ after the break.

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