"Age of Empires III" — a real-time strategy game from Microsoft's Ensemble Studios — challenges computer game fans to manage resources, build manufacturing facilities, forge alliances and then fight against their enemies — other game fans. What Ensemble needed was a website that would cater to these fans by providing a forum for discussion, a place for players to keep track of their game statistics and a way to open up lines of communication between Ensemble and the game's fans. Fans not affiliated with the company had historically developed these types of sites, but Ensemble wanted to bring that responsibility in-house without stepping on toes or alienating anyone.
Gamers are among the most demanding and discerning of online users, so obviously this website had to be best-in-class. And after the game's release, Ensemble Studios would need a way to build on the foundations we laid. The comprehensive content management system we created for them lets Ensemble add/edit pages in multiple languages, including spellcheck for each; control the display location of pages within the navigation system; control the page order of a specific subnavigation level section; add/edit meta tag information; activate/inactivate pages on the fly; issue press releases with RSS support; and upload/manage gallery images (the tool enforces Web Standard code entry).
The "Age of Empires III" community site went live shortly before the game's launch date of October 18, 2005. The forum we created allows Ensemble Studios to keep in contact with its vocal fan base and give those fans everything they're looking for in a community site. Within a few days of launch, Ensemble had heard from those fans — the users of the site gave it a resounding thumbs-up. In its first six weeks alone, there were more than 135,500 multiplayer games played and statistics supported through the site.