GameSpy: Difference between revisions
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|ParentCompany=IGN Entertainment | |ParentCompany=IGN Entertainment | ||
|Type=Subsidiary | |Type=Subsidiary | ||
|Website= | |Website=http://www.gamespy.com | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''GameSpy''' was a company founded by Mark Sufas in 1995. It provided multiplayer middleware<!-- We should have something that explains what middleware is... -JamesTDG --> 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/ | '''GameSpy''' was a company founded by Mark Sufas in 1995. It provided multiplayer middleware<!-- We should have something that explains what middleware is... -JamesTDG --> 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/https://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=https://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=207033&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1721900&highlight= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411143602/https://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> | ||
==Consumer-impact summary== | ==Consumer-impact summary== | ||
*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 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]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230601012724/https://old.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/22fz75/list_of_games_affected_by_gamespy_shutdown/ |archive-date=1 Jun 2023}}</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 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251206123227/https://www.battlefield2142.co/help/ |archive-date=6 Dec 2025}}</ref> | ||
*User privacy: Unknown; defunct in 2014.<nowiki/> | *User privacy: Unknown; defunct in 2014.<nowiki/> | ||
*Business model: Founded as a middleware<nowiki/> distributor, eventually hosted game servers and was a gaming news publication. | *Business model: Founded as a middleware<nowiki/> distributor, eventually hosted game servers and was a gaming news publication. | ||
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===Shutdown=== | ===Shutdown=== | ||
{{Main|GameSpy server shutdown}} | {{Main|GameSpy server shutdown}} | ||
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/ | 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/https://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 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251021003948/https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/GameSpy |archive-date=21 Oct 2025}}</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=https://pc.gamespy.com/pc/assassins-creed-2/1075803p1.html |access-date=Jul 8, 2025 |work=[[GameSpy]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260219115008/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/assassins-creed-2/1075803p1.html |archive-date=19 Feb 2026}}</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/https://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" /> | ||