As you may or may not already know, Microsoft and Xbox were developing an MMORPG to compete against Blizzard Entertainment's flourishing World of Warcraft 20 years ago — long before the latter merged with the former in 2023 with Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal. Codenamed 'Titan,' development began fully in 2004, with Age of Empires dev Ensemble Studios setting the ambitious project in the Halo universe.
Sadly, though, the project was axed in 2007, and Ensemble Studios itself was shuttered by Microsoft mere weeks ahead of the launch of its Halo Wars RTS in early 2009. The end of Ensemble and Titan has largely been shrouded in mystery for years, though in late 2025, DOOM designer and former Ensemble dev Sandy Petersen alleged then-Xbox head Don Mattrick terminated them to try and safeguard a short-term bonus.
