GameSpy: Difference between revisions
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| Official Website =gamespy.com | | Official Website =gamespy.com | ||
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}}'''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> | }}'''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/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> | ||
==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]]}}</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> | ||
*Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games. | *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. | |||
*Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games; zero market control after shutdown in 2014.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
Revision as of 12:44, 9 January 2026
❗Article Status Notice: This Article is a stub
This article is underdeveloped, and needs additional work to meet the wiki's Content Guidelines and be in line with our Mission Statement for comprehensive coverage of consumer protection issues. Learn more ▼
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]
- User privacy: Unknown; defunct in 2014.
- Business model: Founded as a middleware distributor, eventually hosted game servers and was a gaming news publication.
- Market control: Initially the primary game hosting service for many games; zero market control after shutdown in 2014.[5]
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
This section is incomplete. This notice can be deleted once all the placeholder text has been replaced.
See also
References
- ↑ "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 u/Stevoisiak (Apr 7, 2014). "List of games affected by GameSpy shutdown". Reddit. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Battlefield 2142 Reclamation instructions". Battlefield 2142 Reclamation. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 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.
- ↑ "GameSpy". PC Gaming Wiki. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ Williams, Byrn (Mar 9, 2010). "Ubisoft's DRM Servers Attacked Again". GameSpy. Retrieved Jul 8, 2025.
- ↑ 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.