Software:Avalon Hill's Squad Leader

From HandWiki
Short description: 2000 turn-based strategy video game
Avalon Hill's Squad Leader
Developer(s)Random Games
Publisher(s)Hasbro Interactive
Platform(s)Windows
Release
  • NA: October 24, 2000
  • EU: December 15, 2000
  • DE: May 21, 2001
  • AU: May 3, 2002
Genre(s)Strategy

Avalon Hill's Squad Leader is a 2000 turn-based strategy video game developed by Random Games and published by Hasbro Interactive under the MicroProse label. It is a tie-in to Avalon Hill's board wargame Squad Leader.

Development

Publisher Avalon Hill had considered a computer version of its board wargame Squad Leader during the 1990s, as the game and its Advanced Squad Leader releases had sold over 1 million copies by 1997. However, Computer Gaming World's Terry Coleman noted that the series' complexity made this job "too daunting" initially. In the middle of the decade, the publisher worked with Atomic Games on a computer adaptation called Beyond Squad Leader, but the companies' partnership collapsed and the game became the unrelated Close Combat in 1996.[1] Avalon Hill tried again with Big Time Software's Computer Squad Leader, announced in early 1997.[1][2] This project fell through in July 1998 to become the independent wargame Combat Mission, in the run-up to Hasbro's purchase of Avalon Hill.[3][4] At the time of Computer Squad Leader's cancellation, Avalon Hill announced plans to contract another developer to adapt Squad Leader; the publisher's Jack Dott explained that the next incarnation would "be more faithful to the original product".[3] Avalon Hill's entire staff was laid off upon the company's sale to Hasbro that August.[5]

In late 1999, Computer Gaming World published a rumor that Hasbro was interested in adapting the Avalon Hill board game line into computer titles, starting with Panzer Blitz and Advanced Squad Leader.[6] Producer Bill Levay later said that he hired Random Games for the project after detecting the "spirit of Squad Leader in their game Chaos Gate",[7] a computer adaptation of the Warhammer 40,000 board game series.[8] Levay described Squad Leader as an effort to capture the original's "spirit",[7] and to make an "accessible" tactical game,[9] rather than a hardcore simulation or literal adaptation of the board version.[7][8] The head of marketing for Squad Leader's computer version, Tom Nichols, explained that the game was "heavily based" on Chaos Gate.[8] Squad Leader also reused that project's game engine,[8][9] which had likewise appeared in Random's Soldiers at War.[10] The game was announced in April 2000.[11]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic46/100[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSPStarStar[13]
CGWStar[14]
Game Informer6.25/10[15]
GameSpot3.8/10[16]
GameSpy68%[17]
GameZone7.5/10[18]
IGN5/10[10]
PC Gamer (US)12%[19]
PC Zone18%[20]

Squad Leader received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[12]

William R. Trotter of PC Gamer said, "Hasbro has confirmed everyone's worst fears. Incredibly, they've published a game that will not only antagonize every living fan of Squad Leader, but will baffle and stupefy most newcomers as well."[19]

In 2004, GameSpy's Peter Suciu wrote that Squad Leader "remains one of the worst board-to-computer adaptations to date".[21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Coleman, Terry (June 1997). "Silicon Leader". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (155): 191–93. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_155.pdf. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  2. ↑ Udell, Scott (January 22, 1997). "Advanced Squad Leader Conversion in the Works". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on June 15, 1997. https://web.archive.org/web/19970615020013/http://www.cdmag.com/news/0122971.html. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chick, Tom (July 16, 1998). "Medic! Squad Leader Down". CNET. Archived from the original on October 8, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19991008032728/http://gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-1950,00.html. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  4. ↑ Turewicz, Martin (1998). "Interview with Charles Moylan of Big Time Software". Archived from the original on September 15, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990915064227/http://www.wargamer.com/articles/combat_mission_interview.asp. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  5. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (August 4, 1998). "Hasbro Buys Avalon Hill". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on February 6, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050206091542/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/013/137/avalon_hill_bought_by_hasbro.html. 
  6. ↑ Señor Sneaky (December 1999). "stealthmode". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (185): 53. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_185.pdf. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Butts, Steve (May 12, 2000). "Squad Leader (Preview)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/05/13/squad-leader-2. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Mayer, Robert (May 11, 2000). "Squad Leader (Preview)". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on April 2, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050402022843/http://cdmag.com/articles/027/182/squadl_preview.html. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chin, Elliott (February 24, 2000). "First Impressions: Squad Leader [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 11, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20031011111422/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/squadleader/preview_2541502.html. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bates, Jason (November 7, 2000). "Squad Leader". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/08/squad-leader. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  11. ↑ Ajami, Amer (April 25, 2000). "Announced: Squad Leader [date mislabeled as "May 8, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 7, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010707155232/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2565554,00.html. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Squad Leader for PC Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/squad-leader/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  13. ↑ Suciu, Peter (November 14, 2000). "Avalon Hill's Squad Leader". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on April 2, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050402052911/http://cdmag.com/articles/030/150/avalon_review.html. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  14. ↑ Geryk, Bruce (March 2001). "Squad Leader". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (200): 114. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_200.pdf. Retrieved August 15, 2020. 
  15. ↑ Reppen, Erik (January 2001). "Squad Leader [mislabeled as "Squad Commander"]". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (93): 131. 
  16. ↑ Grey, Bruce (November 1, 2000). "Squad Leader Review". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/squad-leader-review/1900-2649062/. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  17. ↑ Haumersen, Lee (November 16, 2000). "Squad Leader". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 23, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050223214921/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november00/squadleader/. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  18. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (November 21, 2000). "Squad Leader". Archived from the original on February 16, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050216055859/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15202.htm. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Trotter, William R. (February 2001). "Squad Leader". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 8 (2). Archived from the original on October 17, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061017235351/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/squad_leader.html. 
  20. ↑ Wright, Andrew (March 2001). "Squad Leader". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (100): 63. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_100_2001-03_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n61/mode/2up. Retrieved August 16, 2020. 
  21. ↑ Suciu, Peter (September 9, 2004). "GameSpy: Axis & Allies (Preview)". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050204172735/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/axis-allies-rts/545720p1.html. Retrieved October 29, 2018. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Avalon_Hill%27s_Squad_Leader&oldid=726948"