GameSpy: Difference between revisions

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| Official Website =gamespy.com

| 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 by [[Glu Mobile|''Glu Mobile'']] in 2012.

}}'''''[[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>

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>

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==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 requires some modification of the software to regain functionality.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

* User privacy: All services shut down as of '''May 31, 2014'''; not applicable.

*User privacy: All services shut down as of '''May 31, 2014'''; not applicable.

* Business model: Multiplayer services, including servers and game matchmaking software.

*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.

*Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games. All market control is gone due to shutdown.

==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]].

===Shutdown (May 31, 2014)===

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" />

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 | Official Website =gamespy.com
 | 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 by [[Glu Mobile|''Glu Mobile'']] in 2012.
+}}'''''[[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>
 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>
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==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 requires some modification of the software to regain functionality.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
-* User privacy: All services shut down as of '''May 31, 2014'''; not applicable.
+*User privacy: All services shut down as of '''May 31, 2014'''; not applicable.
-* Business model: Multiplayer services, including servers and game matchmaking software.
+*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.
+*Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games. All market control is gone due to shutdown.
 ==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]].
 ===Shutdown (May 31, 2014)===
-{{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" />