Who owns the rights to Age of Empires?

[Bilbo Bongins]

This may sound like a weird question, but I am unsure of the answer.

I was cleaning my room when I came across Age of Empires: Mythologies for the DS.
I thought is was weird that Microsoft would publish a title for there compitions platform so I did a bit of research and found out that THX published it.
I am wondering if Microsoft owns the right to Age of Empire: Mythologies & Age of Empires: The Age of Kings?

[heebie-jeebies]

Here are the major events in the Evolution of Age of Empires 2


1. Microsoft wants Age of Empires 2.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
2. Ensemble Studios was hired by Microsoft to make Age of Empires 2. http://www.ensemblestudios.com/
3. Ensemble Studios also made the Conquerors expansion.
4. Microsoft discontinues official support for AOE2.
5. The UserPatch for Age of Empires 2 is created by the community. http://userpatch.aiscripters.net/
6. The Forgotten Empires expansion (which utilizes the UserPatch) for the original Age of Empires 2 was made by the community. http://www.forgottenempires.net/bios
7. Microsoft returns! The Age of Empires 2 HD Edition project begins.
8. Hidden Path Entertainment was hired by Microsoft to make Age of Empires 2 HD.
http://www.hiddenpath.com/
9. Hidden Path's availability ran out.
10. Skybox Labs was hired by Microsoft to continue the Age of Empires 2 HD project.
http://www.skyboxlabs.com/
11. Microsoft, Skybox Labs, and The Forgotten community team worked/are working together to bring the Forgotten expansion to the HD Edition. It is my belief that Microsoft is now the legal owner of the Forgotten expansion as well. (I am not a lawer.)

In a nutshell Microsoft Corporation is the proud owner of this epic game.
As for the other Age of Empires games I am uncertain, I never played them. I bet they were good.

I may be mistaken about a detail or two but this should be reasonably accurate.

Please point out any mistake you may see.

WTS

[Jack Pipsam]

Microsoft owns Age of Empires fully.
Doesn't mean they can't licence it out to others.

[Bilbo Bongins]

Originally posted by Jack Pipsam:

Microsoft owns Age of Empires fully.
Doesn't mean they can't licence it out to others.

I don't think they own it all. Why would they support there compitions platform. Its like EA making a halo game exclusivly for the PS3.
I am hoping a Microsoft employee answers this.

[Anda]

Originally posted by Cookiemonster16:

I don't think they own it all. Why would they support there compitions platform. Its like EA making a halo game exclusivly for the PS3.
I am hoping a Microsoft employee answers this.

You mean like Microsoft Office for Mac OS? Microsoft owns all rights to that as well. iTunes runs on Windows. DS-ers playing AoM on DS is better for Microsoft than DS-ers playing non-MS games on DS.

[Bilbo Bongins]

Originally posted by Idle Beaver:

Originally posted by Cookiemonster16:

I don't think they own it all. Why would they support there compitions platform. Its like EA making a halo game exclusivly for the PS3.
I am hoping a Microsoft employee answers this.

You mean like Microsoft Office for Mac OS? Microsoft owns all rights to that as well. iTunes runs on Windows. DS-ers playing AoM on DS is better for Microsoft than DS-ers playing non-MS games on DS.

Software is different.
With that logic Microsoft should port all there other games to ps3 and wii because at least people are playing them instead.
Microsoft made PC games exclusivly to push the windows platform thats why they never got ported to linux of mac os.

[MS Ryz0n]

Microsoft is the IP owner for the Age of Empires franchise. There have been several licensing agreements over the yeas where other companies have been given rights to publish an AOE branded game across various platforms, or create variants (such as the DS title). Microsoft still retains all of the IP rights for the brand in all situations.

[Turbo Nozomix]

Originally posted by Cookiemonster16:

Originally posted by Jack Pipsam:

Microsoft owns Age of Empires fully.
Doesn't mean they can't licence it out to others.

I don't think they own it all. Why would they support there compitions platform. Its like EA making a halo game exclusivly for the PS3.
I am hoping a Microsoft employee answers this.

How are MS supporting their competitor's platform? GFWL is officially dead and no more, pulled by MS. Steam is the obvious choice to release on.

[Bilbo Bongins]

Originally posted by Siats Meekerorum:

Originally posted by Cookiemonster16:

I don't think they own it all. Why would they support there compitions platform. Its like EA making a halo game exclusivly for the PS3.
I am hoping a Microsoft employee answers this.

How are MS supporting their competitor's platform? GFWL is officially dead and no more, pulled by MS. Steam is the obvious choice to release on.

I was refering to Age of Empires: Mythologies.

[Peking Duckman]

It's because MS doesn't have a portable console to rival the DS, so MS not only released the mentioned AOE games there, but also a few Banjo Kazooie games. Interestingly, there is also a PS2 version of Age of Empires published by Konami, but that was made before MS created the original Xbox.