Robot Entertainment

Robot Entertainment is a video game development and publishing company created by the founders of the defunct Ensemble Studios, after being shut down by Microsoft. Other members of the company founded another studio, Bonfire Studios. Robot Entertainment was responsible for maintaining and updating Halo Wars until February 28, 2010, when Microsoft Studios assumed control of the game servers and updates. Also, in January 2011, Microsoft Studios took over updates and servers for Age of Empires III. Robot Entertainment have since released games including Orcs Must Die!, Orcs Must Die! 2, Hero Academy, Echo Prime, Orcs Must Die! Unchained and Hero Academy 2.

History
On July 10, 2010, the company announced that they were working on two games; the first of which was published by Microsoft Studios, and is an RTS game, similar to the Age of Empires series.

On August 17, 2010, the company announced the new game, Age of Empires Online. The game features a new stylized, 'cartoon' look, but Robot promised that it would still offer gameplay depth for fans of the franchise and would not alienate fans of the series. On 24 February 2011, Robot announced that Gas Powered Games would be taking over development on Age of Empires Online. Robot Entertainment President Patrick Hudson stated that handing over the development was expected, saying, "The plan was always to move to [an] original IP as soon as we had the ability to focus on our core business goal."

On February 24, 2011, the company announced the new game Orcs Must Die!. The game "challenges players to defend fortresses under siege. With a wide variety of traps and weapons to choose from, Orcs Must Die! dares players to find the best ways to hack, launch, flatten, gibletize, and incinerate an endless army of filthy orcs and their vile allies. Orcs Must Die! features a vibrant look, addictive gameplay, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of orcs." The game was published by Robot Entertainment as well as being self-developed by them.

On November 17, 2011, the company announced the new game Hero Academy. The game is "...a head-to-head tactics game for iOS devices. Blending classic tactics gaming with the quick action of modern casual titles." Hero Academy features multiplayer combat that "is asynchronous, so a player may battle friends across multiple simultaneous games, whenever they have a few moments of free time. Push notifications alert you to your turn – select your moves from a range of options, like advancing across the playing field, attacking, defending, or adding powerful items to the fray." It is the company's first game developed for mobile devices.

In June 2012, Robot Entertainment partnered with Yodo1 in an effort to release a Chinese version of Hero Academy.

On February 27, 2015, it was announced that Tencent Holdings have bought an undisclosed, minority stake in Robot Entertainment.

On March 27, 2018, Robot Entertainment laid off over 30 employees following the release of Hero Academy 2.