https://www.reddit.com/r/CompanyOfHeroes/comments/burvu1/new_aoe4_team_beta_program/
Microsoft Redmond | New in-house AoE4/AoE5 team & Beta Program
Hinted by Klobrille & Adam Isgreen (see below tweet), Microsoft is building new in-house AoE4 team/studio (remaking Ensemble Studio?).
This is Microsoft Redmond, not Relic Vancouver.
Good news for CoH development?
Microsoft unveils plans for a new modern headquarters, 2017
https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/29/16714290/microsoft-new-headquarters-redmond-seattle
It's highly unusual to hire Design Director + Franchise Narrative Lead this late in AoE4 production.
MS also hiring in-house lead programmers, producer and beta program manager.
At the very least, this confirms MS have multi-title agreement with Sega/Relic.
For those interested, future AoE updates in this thread:
https://www.coh2.org/topic/62922/relic-working-on-age-of-empires-4
Could AoE4 be Modern?
https://www.coh2.org/topic/62930/could-aoe4-be-modern
Microsoft Redmond | AoE4/AoE5 Job Announcements
Adam Isgreen, Creative Director Age of Empires Franchise (2015-present) | Microsoft Studios Global Publishing:
Adam Isgreen
@Ishmae1
https://twitter.com/Ishmae1/status/1133496369115611136
We're looking for a design director to help us build amazing Age of Empires experiences. Is that you? Do you know someone that would be? Apply or send 'em the link!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamisgreen/detail/recent-activity/
Our Age of Empires group is expanding, and we're looking for a Design Director to help us bring incredible games and experiences to a worldwide audience!
Klobrille, a known MS leaker posted this tweet:
https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1133497898874875904MSGP = Microsoft Studios Global Publishing (this includes 2nd and 3rd Party Publishing)
@klobrille
Helping Adam on this one. If you are a professional and may want to shape the future of Age of Empires, this might be for you.
As a side note, it's great to see MS pushing this franchise again. I feel like good things are coming.
I think it's rather obvious at this point that MS is building an in-house team for the Age of Empires franchise while maintaining to work with Relic through MSGP for now. And that's fine as long as they have a strong in-house team and a multi-title agreement with Relic/Sega.
Xbox Game Studios = Internal studios (13 total)
MS hired a top exec from Nintendo to lead global partnerships/MSGP:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakerdamon/
https://www.windowscentral.com/nintendos-damon-baker-joins-microsoft-head-portfolio-xbox
Microsoft Studios is dead, long live Xbox Game Studios, 2019
https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/05/xbox-game-studios-microsoft-rebrand/
The next generation of gaming consoles is expected to launch in 2020, and Xbox is rumored to be building two devices, one of which is apparently designed specifically for streaming games.
https://www.econotimes.com/Age-of-Empires-4-Release-Date-Update-Microsoft-Looking-for-Creative-Director-for-Upcoming-RTS-Title-1542988
Details about “Age of Empires 4” has been scant following its announcement in Gamescom 2017. However, it appears that Microsoft is slowly developing the game as it’s currently looking for a design director that would oversee the upcoming real-time strategy title.
But even though this is good news, it’s still worrying that Microsoft is only looking for the position now, two years after “Age of Empires 4” was announced. There’s also the fact that Relic Entertainment has been tasked to develop this game. Why is Microsoft the one actively looking for a design director instead of the studio that is developing it?
The answer to that is muddy since both Microsoft and Relic Entertainment are maintaining their silence about “Age of Empires 4.” Overall, however, it’s still good that progress is being made for the beloved RTS title.
Game 'journos' confused?
On LinkedIn, Quinn Duffy re-posted below job announcement:
Design Director
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/632740/Design-Director
http://archive.ph/1BXT4
Our team in Xbox Game Studios is responsible for delivering entertaining and engaging products in the Age of Empires franchise for Windows platforms and beyond. We are looking for an experienced Design Director to join us to help create world-class entertainment for diverse audiences from around the world.
The Design Director is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day game design of multiple titles. You will work closely with the Studio Creative Director on overarching goals for the products, game pillars, feature messaging, analytics interpretation, and evangelization of our titles. You will interact with our partner teams on a regular basis as a subject matter expert for design as well as learning the unique intricacies of each teams’ design capabilities and engines. You will collaborate closely with other discipline leads to shape and hone our titles into world-class entertainment. You are comfortable presenting our vision, goals and status to both internal and external stakeholders. You have a love for and play games, with an ability to talk to them and deconstruct them that shows an understanding of the art of design and its many manifestations across genres and platforms.
Responsibilities
Evaluate game designs, builds, UI, and gameplay elements
Be a subject matter expert on game systems, logic, and design tools for our titles
Write design documentation and white papers on design strategies
Prioritize, plan, and communicate features and risks in collaboration with partners and discipline directors, with an eye for getting ahead of potential problems before they arise
Develop analytics goals, KPIs, and user research outcomes for titles to measure success and drive user enjoyment
Identify, document, and pitch design opportunities for increasing our audience reach and appeal on a worldwide scale
Be a franchise advocate, able to speak to internal or external stakeholders, press, or our audiences.
Qualifications
5+ years’ experience in game design in a senior, lead, or directorial design role
Multiple complete loop projects (created, tested, shipped, supported) with design credit
Ability to easily switch between different products with different audience goals, feature sets, and design philosophies
Complete understanding of the entire design process, from early high concept to post-launch support
Demonstrable familiarity with Real-Time Strategy games in a development or enthusiast capacity
Excellent interpersonal skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Comfortable learning new and potentially proprietary toolsets and pipelines
Comfortable engaging with diverse teams and disciplines
Comfortable speaking to press or audiences
Passionate about games and their world-wide potential
Experience with Strategy and Role-Playing games is a plus
A love of history is a plus
Senior Producer
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/632729/Senior-Producer
http://archive.ph/GTdtP
At Xbox Game Studios, we are hard at work continuing the great legacy of Age of Empires, our beloved RTS game. We are a passionate group responsible for this amazing franchise and are expanding our team looking for a wonderful colleague that will be responsible for Games-as-a-Service.
As a Senior Producer, you will work closely with multiple functional teams to ensure smooth operations, updates and engagement of our games, based on real world data and customer feedback. The GaaS producer will be the essential person who help us grow our game business, with key focus on players engagement, directly impacting long term community sentiment. The ideal candidate will be one who has superb communication skills, is process and data oriented, an agile self-starter who enjoy breaking down complex issues, and one who is truly passionate about making our players happy while simultaneously helping the wider teams hit our KPI targets. This gives you an important role with direct impact ensuring that we put our players first and deliver games that delight and engage.
*SNIP*
Publishing Lead Software Engineer
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/631672/Publishing-Lead-Software-Engineer
http://archive.ph/bJQWE
Our team in Xbox Game Studios is responsible for delivering entertaining and engaging products in the Age of Empires franchise. We are looking for a passionate game and technology industry veteran to help us create world-class entertainment for diverse audiences from around the world. This is a rare opportunity to join a creatively driven team, develop exciting new projects, and take advantage of the newest technology available with backing and support from across Microsoft.
Our candidate has 8+ years of experience with C++, experience shipping Real Time Strategy games in a lead capacity and demonstrate strong technical skills with game engine development and a track record of delivering high quality software.
In addition to technical leadership, we are looking for someone with strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a self-driven approach to work. The ideal candidate understands first party development and enjoys collaborating with internal and external partners.
*SNIP*
Navigation Programmer
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/627767/Navigation-Programmer
http://archive.ph/RTZ1L
Do you love Real Time Strategy games? Do you hate it when your gatherer units get stuck to trees or wander off to enjoy the scenery? We sure do. If you do and are a skilled software engineer with the proven ability to keep our gatherers in-line and on task the Age of Empires franchise wants your help!
We’re looking for a Software Engineer to join our team to drive the navigation systems for Age of Empires. If successful you will closely collaborate with design and engineering teams globally and focus on developing a cutting edge RTS specific navigation solution for Age of Empires engine for use in Age IV and anything beyond, as well as offering support and guidance to help improve navigation in our older Age of Empires titles. You should have experience building cutting edge RTS navigation solutions and be keeping up with, if not pushing, what the state of the art in the field of navigation is.
Responsibilities
As a senior member of the Age of Empires Franchise team you will
- Be the navigation subject matter expert for the franchise.
- Understand and be able to implement state of the art for large group pathfinding techniques.
- Collaborate with partners both internal and external on titles new and old.
- Guild and possibly step in and help implement, if not design and lead efforts to build pathfinding solutions.
- Help teams troubleshoot issues, build more robust solutions and test frameworks.
- Find new ways to drive what the state of the art in the field is.
Qualifications and skills
4+ Years of experience in feature level development
Experience working in an Agile Environment
Ability to multi-task
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Ability to quickly gain familiarity with existing large code bases and quick ramp up effectively contributing to a code base.
Comfortable engaging with diverse teams and disciplines
Be able to collaborate with both internal and external partners, local and all over the world.
New Age of Empires Franchise Beta program
Prototype builds & extended test opportunities
Senior Program Manager:
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/senior-program-manager-at-microsoft-1118620173/
http://archive.ph/hG5Ws
At Microsoft Studios Global Publishing, we are hard at work continuing the great legacy of Age of Empires, our beloved RTS game. We are a passionate group responsible for this amazing franchise and are expanding our team looking for a wonderful colleague that can manage our Flight/Beta program.
As the producer for our Beta program, you are a key link between the players and the development team. You will be responsible for the day to day management and execution of our Age of Empires Franchise Beta program, an important initiative where early and prototype builds of our Age of Empires titles are provided to players for feedback and extended test opportunities. You will help manage all aspects of the ecosystem including creating the long term roadmap, working with our various teams on planning & execution, interacting with and managing beta communities, and ensuring feedback from our players is heard, categorized and prioritized.
This gives you an important role with direct impact ensuring that we put our players first and deliver games that delight and engage.
New AoE Beta program:
Job announcements + linkedin confirm Microsoft hired the ModSquad for AoE community interacting & content:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ModSquad
https://modsquad.com/
Evan Teicheira | Brand Representative at Microsoft (ModSquad)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanteicheira/
At heart, I am a community builder. My aim is to create next-level games and gaming platforms by building bridges between development teams and their communities, providing opportunities for advocacy and leadership within the larger gaming community, and by empowering players with the tools and understanding they need to inspire meaningful, positive change in the games they love.
Age of Empires Social Media/Customer Support Manager
ModSquad
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/age-of-empires-social-media-customer-support-manager-at-modsquad-inc-1187542008/
ModSquad is looking for an experienced Community Content Project Manager to help us at Microsoft Studios Global Publishing. Our ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, and a strong eye for quality community content. In this role you will work closely with the Age of Empires Community Managers and other internal teams to ensure a world-class brand presence in both customer-facing channels and internal reporting.
The day-to-day tasks can greatly vary depending on the phase of development, but key responsibilities include
*SNIP*
Age of Empires-Content Creation Superstar
ModSquad
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1271080038/
ModSquad is looking for a Community Content Specialist to help us at Microsoft Studios Global Publishing. Our ideal candidate will have strong visual content creation and copywriting experience, a passion for interacting with fans, and a keen eye for quality Community content. In this role you’ll be working closely with internal and external teams creating visual and written content to engage a worldwide audience.
*SNIP*
Relic Entertainment
cblanco ★ 
보드카 중대 
VonManteuffel 
Heartless Jäger 
