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| Official Website =gamespy.com
| Official Website =gamespy.com
| Logo =GameSpy.svg
| Logo =GameSpy.svg
}}'''''[[wikipedia:GameSpy|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,<ref>{{Cite news |date=Mar 4, 2004 |title=IGN/GameSpy Merger Creates One of the Internet's Largest Game and Entertainment-Focused Companies |url=https://corp.ign.com/press/press/2004/igngamespy-merger-creates-one-of-the-internets-largest-game-and-entertainment-focused-companies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102223614/http://corp.ign.com/press/2004/igngamespy-merger-creates-one-of-the-internets-largest-game-and-entertainment-focused-companies |archive-date=Jan 2, 2018 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=IGN}}</ref> while its '<nowiki/>'''''GameSpy''' Industries''<nowiki/>' division, which handled all of its multiplayer services, was purchased from ''[[IGN]]'' by [[Glu Mobile|''Glu Mobile'']] in 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Potter |first=Seth |date=Aug 2, 2012 |title=Glu Acquires GameSpy Technology to Expand Connected, Cross-platform Mobile Leadership |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=207033&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1721900&highlight= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411143602/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=207033&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1721900&highlight= |archive-date=Apr 11, 2016 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=[[Glu Mobile]]}}</ref>
}}'''GameSpy''' was a company founded by Mark Sufas in 1995. It provided multiplayer middleware for video game publishers, documented to be used by over 800 games. GameSpy was merged with the gaming magazine IGN in 2004,<ref>{{Cite news |date=Mar 4, 2004 |title=IGN/GameSpy Merger Creates One of the Internet's Largest Game and Entertainment-Focused Companies |url=https://corp.ign.com/press/press/2004/igngamespy-merger-creates-one-of-the-internets-largest-game-and-entertainment-focused-companies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102223614/http://corp.ign.com/press/2004/igngamespy-merger-creates-one-of-the-internets-largest-game-and-entertainment-focused-companies |archive-date=Jan 2, 2018 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=IGN}}</ref> while its 'GameSpy Industries' division, which handled all of its multiplayer services, was purchased from IGN by Glu Mobile in 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Potter |first=Seth |date=Aug 2, 2012 |title=Glu Acquires GameSpy Technology to Expand Connected, Cross-platform Mobile Leadership |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=207033&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1721900&highlight= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411143602/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=207033&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1721900&highlight= |archive-date=Apr 11, 2016 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=[[Glu Mobile]]}}</ref>
 
On '''May 31st, 2014''', '''''GameSpy'''''<nowiki/>'s services that were documented to be used by over 800 games were shut down by ''[[Glu Mobile]]'',<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Futter |first=Mike |date=Apr 3, 2014 |title=Glu Shutting Down Gamespy Service, Affecting A Reported 800 Developers And Publishers |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/04/03/glu-shutting-down-gamespy-service-affecting-a-reported-800-developers-and-publishers.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072627/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/04/03/glu-shutting-down-gamespy-service-affecting-a-reported-800-developers-and-publishers.aspx |archive-date=Apr 7, 2014 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=Game Informer}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=u/Stevoisiak |date=Apr 7, 2014 |title=List of games affected by GameSpy shutdown |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/22fz75/list_of_games_affected_by_gamespy_shutdown/ |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> affecting popular titles such as ''[[Battlefield (game)|Battlefield]] 2142'',<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Battlefield 2142 Reclamation instructions |url=https://battlefield2142.co/help/ |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=Battlefield 2142 Reclamation}}</ref> ''[[Halo (game series)|Halo]] Combat Evolved'', and ''[[Saints Row]] 2'', which lost all multiplayer functionality,<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameSpy |url=https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/GameSpy |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=PC Gaming Wiki}}</ref> and for some games, left entirely unplayable due to DRM reliant on '''''GameSpy''''' servers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Byrn |date=Mar 9, 2010 |title=Ubisoft's DRM Servers Attacked Again |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/assassins-creed-2/1075803p1.html |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Burns |first=Chris |date=Apr 4, 2014 |title=GAMESPY SHUTS DOWN MAY 31: WILL YOUR GAME BE AFFECTED? |url=https://www.slashgear.com/gamespy-shuts-down-may-31-will-your-game-be-affected-04323788/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717091309/http://www.slashgear.com/gamespy-shuts-down-may-31-will-your-game-be-affected-04323788/ |archive-date=Jul 17, 2014 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=Slashgear}}</ref>


==Consumer-impact summary==
==Consumer-impact summary==


*User freedom: Games affected by '''''GameSpy'''''<nowiki/>'s shutdown requires some modification of the software to regain functionality.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
*User freedom: Games affected by GameSpy<nowiki/>'s shutdown require some modification of the software to regain functionality.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=u/Stevoisiak |date=Apr 7, 2014 |title=List of games affected by GameSpy shutdown |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/22fz75/list_of_games_affected_by_gamespy_shutdown/ |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Battlefield 2142 Reclamation instructions |url=https://battlefield2142.co/help/ |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=Battlefield 2142 Reclamation}}</ref>
*User privacy: All services shut down as of '''May 31, 2014'''; not applicable.
*Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games.
*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==
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Shutdown (May 31, 2014)===
===Shutdown===
{{Main|GameSpy server shutdown}}
{{Main|GameSpy server shutdown}}
In April of 2014, [[Glu Mobile]], the owner of '''''GameSpy'''''<nowiki/>'s software divsion ('''''GameSpy''' Industries''), announced the shutdown of all GameSpy multiplayer services.<ref name=":0" /> Of the 800+ games affected by the shutdown,<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref name=":3" />
On May 31st, 2014, Glu Mobile, the owner of GameSpy's software division (GameSpy Industries), shut down GameSpy's services,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Futter |first=Mike |date=Apr 3, 2014 |title=Glu Shutting Down Gamespy Service, Affecting A Reported 800 Developers And Publishers |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/04/03/glu-shutting-down-gamespy-service-affecting-a-reported-800-developers-and-publishers.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072627/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/04/03/glu-shutting-down-gamespy-service-affecting-a-reported-800-developers-and-publishers.aspx |archive-date=Apr 7, 2014 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=Game Informer}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> affecting popular titles such as ''Battlefield 2142'',<ref name=":2" /> ''Halo Combat Evolved'', and ''Saints Row 2'', which lost all multiplayer functionality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameSpy |url=https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/GameSpy |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=PC Gaming Wiki}}</ref> Some games were left unplayable due to digital rights management reliance on GameSpy servers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Byrn |date=Mar 9, 2010 |title=Ubisoft's DRM Servers Attacked Again |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/assassins-creed-2/1075803p1.html |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Burns |first=Chris |date=Apr 4, 2014 |title=GAMESPY SHUTS DOWN MAY 31: WILL YOUR GAME BE AFFECTED? |url=https://www.slashgear.com/gamespy-shuts-down-may-31-will-your-game-be-affected-04323788/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717091309/http://www.slashgear.com/gamespy-shuts-down-may-31-will-your-game-be-affected-04323788/ |archive-date=Jul 17, 2014 |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |website=Slashgear}}</ref>


In the aftermath of the incident, projects such as OpenSpy were created to restore functionality to these damaged games, such as Battlefield 2142.<ref name=":2" />
In the aftermath of the incident, projects such as OpenSpy were created to restore functionality to these damaged games, such as ''Battlefield 2142''.<ref name=":2" />


==Products<!-- Need the actual name of their server software, among other products GS used to distribute. -->==
==Products<!-- Need the actual name of their server software, among other products GS used to distribute. -->==

Revision as of 21:53, 3 September 2025

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GameSpy
Basic information
Founded 1999
Legal structure Subsidiary
Industry Multiplayer software services
Official website gamespy.com

GameSpy was a company founded by Mark Sufas in 1995. It provided multiplayer middleware for video game publishers, documented to be used by over 800 games. 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]

Consumer-impact summary

  • User freedom: Games affected by GameSpy's shutdown require some modification of the software to regain functionality.[3][4]
  • Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games.

Incidents

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

Main article: GameSpy server shutdown

On May 31st, 2014, Glu Mobile, the owner of GameSpy's software division (GameSpy Industries), shut down GameSpy's services,[5][3] affecting popular titles such as Battlefield 2142,[4] Halo Combat Evolved, and Saints Row 2, which lost all multiplayer functionality.[6] Some games were left unplayable due to digital rights management reliance on GameSpy servers.[7][8]

In the aftermath of the incident, projects such as OpenSpy were created to restore functionality to these damaged games, such as Battlefield 2142.[4]

Products

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See also

Link to relevant theme articles or companies with similar incidents.

Add your text below this box. Once this section is complete, delete this box by clicking on it and pressing backspace.

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ 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. ↑ 3.0 3.1 u/Stevoisiak (Apr 7, 2014). "List of games affected by GameSpy shutdown". Reddit. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Battlefield 2142 Reclamation instructions". Battlefield 2142 Reclamation. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "GameSpy". PC Gaming Wiki. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
  7. ↑ Williams, Byrn (Mar 9, 2010). "Ubisoft's DRM Servers Attacked Again". GameSpy. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
  8. ↑ 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.
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