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Halo Wars is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios for the Xbox 360. The game is set in the Halo science fiction universe, 20 years before the 2001 video game Halo: Combat Evolved.
Halo Wars was released in Japan on February 26, PAL territories on
February 27, and in North America on March 3, 2009. It is the last
project to be developed by Ensemble.

Ensemble first hinted that their next project was a console
real-time strategy game in mid 2006. The game was officially unveiled
on September 27 at Microsoft's X06 Xbox show. Acknowledging that previous console real-time strategy games often fell short, Ensemble built Halo Wars specifically for the Xbox 360's limited controller. The game was an attempt to bring together Halo shooter fans to play a real-time strategy title, and experienced strategy players to play a Halo game.

On release, Halo Wars was met with generally positive reviews
from the gaming press. Critics lauded the game's attention to the Halo
universe along with the intuitive control scheme. Conversely, several
critics would also note that seasoned RTS players may not find the
strategic elements as deep and voice some disappointment on that there
were no options to play as the Covenant or Flood in the game's campaign
mode.