GameSpy
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Multiplayer software services |
| Official website | gamespy.com |
GameSpy was a company founded by Mark Sufas in 1995 initally as and provided multiplayer middleware for video game publishers. GameSpy was merged with the gaming magazine IGN in 2004,[1] while its 'GameSpy Industries' division, which handled all of its multiplayer services, was purchased from IGN by Glu Mobile in 2012.[2]
On May 31st, 2014, GameSpy's services that were documented to be used by over 800 games were shut down by Glu Mobile,[3][4] affecting popular titles such as Battlefield 2142,[5] Halo Combat Evolved, and Saints Row 2, which lost all multiplayer functionality,[6] and for some games, left entirely unplayable due to DRM reliant on GameSpy servers.[7][8]
Consumer-impact summary[edit | edit source]
- User freedom: Games affected by GameSpy's shutdown requires some modification of the software to regain functionality.[4][5]
- User privacy: All services shut down as of May 31, 2014; not applicable.
- Business model: Multiplayer services, including servers and game matchmaking software.
- Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games. All market control is gone due to shutdown.
Incidents[edit | edit source]
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the GameSpy category.
Shutdown (May 31, 2014)[edit | edit source]
- Main article: GameSpy server shutdown
In April of 2014, Glu Mobile, the owner of GameSpy's software divsion (GameSpy Industries), announced the shutdown of all GameSpy multiplayer services.[3] Of the 800+ games affected by the shutdown,[4] some were able to be retrofit to run on different servers, many lost multiplayer features, and a subset became impossible to play due to DRM.[8]
In the aftermath of the incident, projects such as OpenSpy were created to restore functionality to these damaged games, such as Battlefield 2142.[5]
Products[edit | edit source]
This section is incomplete. This notice can be deleted once all the placeholder text has been replaced.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "IGN/GameSpy Merger Creates One of the Internet's Largest Game and Entertainment-Focused Companies". IGN. Mar 4, 2004. Archived from the original on Jan 2, 2018. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ Potter, Seth (Aug 2, 2012). "Glu Acquires GameSpy Technology to Expand Connected, Cross-platform Mobile Leadership". Glu Mobile. Archived from the original on Apr 11, 2016. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Futter, Mike (Apr 3, 2014). "Glu Shutting Down Gamespy Service, Affecting A Reported 800 Developers And Publishers". Game Informer. Archived from the original on Apr 7, 2014. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 u/Stevoisiak (Apr 7, 2014). "List of games affected by GameSpy shutdown". Reddit. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Battlefield 2142 Reclamation instructions". Battlefield 2142 Reclamation. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ "GameSpy". PC Gaming Wiki. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ Williams, Byrn (Mar 9, 2010). "Ubisoft's DRM Servers Attacked Again". GameSpy. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Burns, Chris (Apr 4, 2014). "GAMESPY SHUTS DOWN MAY 31: WILL YOUR GAME BE AFFECTED?". Slashgear. Archived from the original on Jul 17, 2014. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.