Robot Entertainment

Robot Entertainment is an independent American video game developer and publisher founded in February 2009 by former leaders and veterans of Microsoft’s Ensemble Studios. Based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, the studio develops original games for PC, console, mobile, and cloud platforms, with a focus on action tower defense, third-person combat, tactical strategy, cooperative multiplayer, and original IP.

The team formed following Microsoft’s closure of Ensemble Studios after Halo Wars. In its early months, Robot Entertainment maintained multiplayer services and delivered post-launch updates for Halo Wars and Age of Empires III. It also began development of Age of Empires Online before the project was handed to Gas Powered Games, allowing Robot to concentrate on proprietary projects.

Original games and franchises

Robot Entertainment is best known for Orcs Must Die!, a series combining third-person action with strategic trap-based tower defense. The original game launched in 2011, followed by Orcs Must Die! 2, Orcs Must Die! Unchained, and Orcs Must Die! 3. The latter introduced large-scale War Scenarios after its initial release on Google Stadia and later expansion to PC and major consoles.

Its portfolio also includes Hero Academy, Hero Academy 2, Echo Prime, and the cooperative party dungeon crawler ReadySet Heroes. In 2025, the studio released Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap for PC and Xbox Series X/S, later bringing the game to PlayStation 5 and physical editions through Skybound Games.

Development and publishing

The studio provides full-cycle game design and production, gameplay programming, systems engineering, 3D art, level design, visual effects, digital self-publishing, community management, live operations, and post-launch support. Its development work includes Unreal Engine production and multiplayer-focused game systems.

Robot Entertainment operates with a remote-friendly model while retaining its Plano, Texas headquarters as its operational and corporate anchor.