In 2008, Chair Entertainment announced plans to turn Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game into a series of video games for all current consoles, handhelds, and even the PC. The project, which would have placed players in simulated combat situations within the fiction's futuristic "Battle Room," has since been put on indefinite hold by Chair. The purchase of the studio by Epic Games (a publisher with a taste for unique IP) is a big reason why we'll probably never see the series.

"We have and had an amazing design for the Ender's Game game," studio co-founder Donald Mustard told Joystiq, but "one of Epic's primary objectives is to create original and unique franchises. I don't know that Ender's Game fits into that strategic objective anymore." 

"So, probably not," Mustard said, speaking to this game's eventual release. "Not from us" at least, he said. 
 

"Most of the story focuses around the Battle School, a space station used as a military training complex for children. The IF tests all children on Earth and selects the brightest for the Battle School for military training. Students are organized into armies with 40 members and assigned to conduct simulated battles in zero gravity. Upon graduation, students move on to either Tactical School, Combat School, Pre-Command School or Command School with three years in Pre-Command. The Battle School forms in response to the need of highly skilled officers for the wars against the Formics, and most of the officers in the IF pass through the school at one time."

In 2008, Chair Entertainment announced plans to turn Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game into a series of video games for all current consoles, handhelds, and even the PC. The project, which would have placed players in simulated combat situations within the fiction's futuristic "Battle Room," has since been put on indefinite hold by Chair. The purchase of the studio by Epic Games (a publisher with a taste for unique IP) is a big reason why we'll probably never see the series.

"We have and had an amazing design for the Ender's Game game," studio co-founder Donald Mustard told Joystiq, but "one of Epic's primary objectives is to create original and unique franchises. I don't know that Ender's Game fits into that strategic objective anymore." 

"So, probably not," Mustard said, speaking to this game's eventual release. "Not from us" at least, he said. 
 

"Most of the story focuses around the Battle School, a space station used as a military training complex for children. The IF tests all children on Earth and selects the brightest for the Battle School for military training. Students are organized into armies with 40 members and assigned to conduct simulated battles in zero gravity. Upon graduation, students move on to either Tactical School, Combat School, Pre-Command School or Command School with three years in Pre-Command. The Battle School forms in response to the need of highly skilled officers for the wars against the Formics, and most of the officers in the IF pass through the school at one time."

:(

Shitty to write off Ender's Game off of reading a wikipedia article. 

K, now go work on the sequel to Shadow Complex.

This saddens me. I was looking forward to this.

What ever keep it on hold and make shadow complex 2 Asap who's with me

I love Ender's Game and have read the book more times than I can remember. 
 
And I think it would likely make for a terrible video game.

Ever since I read tat book, I thought it would make a great game. this is a shame, but at least its not because they are shutting down.

More like Ender's Video Game.
 
I think Ender's Game is probably responsible for the trope where half of all Strategy RPGs (including FFT) need to start off at some kind of military school. The other half seem to involve the young monarch of a kingdom running into friendly mercenaries.

Well Shadow Complex was part of their collabo with Orson Scott Card, so I would have liked to have seen more of that.

I love Ender's Game. One of my favorite pieces of sci-fi. But as a video game I... I don't see it being very entertaining. Also that picture/caption combination is hilarious and wrong.

Got ended.

While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card.

" Shitty to write off Ender's Game off of reading a wikipedia article.  "

I hadn't heard of this before the article, now you made me mourn the fact I will never get to play it. Thanks Giantbomb :(

" While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card. "

Infinity Blade was originally a Kinect game.

The book was great, but i agree with the people saying  a game would probably suck.  I just don't think it has enough action to pull off a full production game.  Now if they wanted to make a Battle Room game on XBLA, i could see this alot more easily.  But even that wouldn't reflect what made the books so good.  It would turn out a generic title with the Ender's Game name stamped onto it.  This is all probably for the best.

I read Ender's Game a long time ago, it's a great book but the man is so repugnant I don't want to touch anything else he's involved in. I felt weird buying Shadow Complex but figured what I give to the organizations like the Human Rights Campaign should off-set that fraction of the 15 dollars he gets many times over. 

bummer

Can paying-members get an option to filter out the humorless exposition in Brad Nicholson's writing?

I'm a fan of Ender's Game.  I'm annoyed that an idiotic company policy is (apparently) killing the rights to what could be a fun game.

If they want to make new IP, then they could at least sell Ender to somebody who will make use of it.  Of course, they won't.

They were making an Ender's Game game? I did not know about this.

Read Ender's Game, Everyone.

" I love Ender's Game and have read the book more times than I can remember.  And I think it would likely make for a terrible video game. "

Good now they can focus on the game we sequel we all want. Undertow 2.

Ender's Game would've made a pretty cool point-and-click adventure game (maybe with some light combat a la Quest For Glory), but there's no going back to that book after reading Orson Scott Card's mad ramblings. I wish I could separate the two, but it colors everything that happens in the book.

:(

If you haven't read Ender's Game, you haven't read alot of scifi. It's that good.   
 
The sequels, not as much. 
 
It's a little dated, but highly, highly, highly recommended.

They are probably making so much money on Infinity blade that they've devoted all staff to developing more unreal games for the Iphone.

Ender's Game (the book) is awesome. I'd like to see the game finished (even though most video game adaptations are crap.)

Take turns between Shattered Horizon and Homeworld, it'll be all the fun without the weird pedo undertones 

I hadn't heard about this but I'm glad it got canceled. This book is far too internal to be put into a medium like a video game, especially considering they were planning on focusing on the Battle Arena part.

Bummer. I love Ender's Game.

" While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card. "

" @patbaer said:

" While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card. "

Wow, I had no idea about that. How can anyone who writes sci-fi be so closed minded? "

Just a reminder: Orson Scott Card is a bit crazy.  Thanks.

" @patbaer said:

" While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card. "

Wow, I had no idea about that. How can anyone who writes sci-fi be so closed minded? "

I really want to know what his "amazing design" would be. I also think that developing the book into a game would be challenging, but if they've had a design for a while and are confident in it that gives me hope, considering they are pretty damn good developers. I really want to see even what the basic designs are.

" @knightlyknave said:

" @patbaer said:

" While the book means alot to me, I hope a game never comes out. Any money in the pocket of OSC could get used to further his homophobic agenda. Fuck Orson Scott Card. "

Wow, I had no idea about that. How can anyone who writes sci-fi be so closed minded? "

Heard of scientology? "

There already is a game based on Ender's Game. Its called Battle Tag and it's made by ubisoft (Zero-G enviroment not included)

right now the closest thing I played to a Battle Room game is Undertow (also a Chair game). It just replaced 0 gravity space with water and stun guns with spear guns

I was kind of shocked to hear about OSC's homophobia a while back. Ender's game has a bunch of homo-erotic moments(soapy shower fight anyone?). I guess the stereotype of the self-hating homophobe is true. 
 
 
Ender's Game game was one of the greatest scifi books ever. The sequels were not so great. I do not know if the book would translate well into a game though. I movie would be awesome if they  ever figure out how to portray zero-G well.

A lot of people want to harp on something completely irrelevent to flex their politically correct muscle. We get it, you're on the internet, you're liberal.

I remember that when I finished reading Ender's Game so so many years ago, the first thought that came into my mind was "this would fit perfectly in a videogame". Too bad it's probabl not going to happen.

Regardless of what Orson Scott Card's views are (are they really relevant to this article, or do you just like showing how politically correct you are?), I don't think he's a good author, and I don't think Ender's Game is very good source material.

Maybe they should hold off calling it a series after the hype they put into Advent Rising.