Software:ESPN NHL 2K5

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Short description: 2004 video game
ESPN NHL 2K5
North American PlayStation 2 box art, featuring Martin St. Louis
Developer(s)Kush Games
Publisher(s)
SeriesNHL 2K
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: September 1, 2004[1]
  • EU: February 4, 2005
  • AU: February 7, 2005[2]
Xbox
  • NA: September 1, 2004[1]
  • AU: January 28, 2005[3]
  • EU: February 4, 2005
Genre(s)Sports (ice hockey)
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

ESPN NHL 2K5 is a 2004 ice hockey video game developed by Kush Games and published by Sega for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is the last NHL game to be released by Sega, and the last to be branded by ESPN.

Gameplay

The game includes an extensive franchise mode where the player can perform many team management functions, including hiring staff, managing player contracts, editing players, scouting new players and sending players back to minor teams for training. It also includes more traditional game modes like season, playoffs, exhibition and shootout, as well as an advanced control setting which allows much more flexible control of the player, using the entire control pad rather than only a few buttons. The game features ESPN/ABC's Gary Thorne on play-by-play commentary and Bill Clement on color commentary.

The North American release of the game features a number of specific game additions, including the ability to play the Heritage Classic, the first time an official outdoor hockey game was represented in a video game.[4]

The controls in the game allow the player to have full stick control on both offense and defense. On the offensive side they can control their dekes by moving the right analog stick. This does a deke in the direction the analog stick was pushed. Also on offense when they want to deke out a goalie they hold the preset button (ex: for Advance hold L1+O) and move the stick with the left analog stick and then release to shoot. This provides for exciting dekes, but also on offense they can protect the puck from poke-checking defensemen by hold circle and choosing where they want to protect it with the analog stick. On the other side the defensive stick control allows them to skate backwards and also swing their stick across the ice to hit the puck away from the opposing player.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
EGM8.33/10[5]8.33/10[5]
Game Informer8/10[6]8/10[6]
GameProStarStarStarStarHalf star[7]StarStarStarStarHalf star[7]
GameRevolutionA−[8]A−[8]
GameSpot9.1/10[9]9.1/10[9]
GameSpyN/AStarStarStarStar[10]
GameZone9.3/10[11]N/A
IGN9.2/10[12]9.2/10[12]
OPM (US)StarStarStarStarHalf star[13]N/A
OXM (US)N/A8.7/10[14]
The Sydney Morning HeraldN/AStarStarStarStar[15]
Aggregate score
Metacritic86/100[16]88/100[17]

The game received "generally favorable reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[16][17] It received runner-up placements in GameSpot's 2004 "Best Traditional Sports Game" and "Best Budget Game" award categories across all platforms, losing both to ESPN NFL 2K5.[18] During the 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated ESPN NHL 2K5 for "Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year", which was ultimately awarded to ESPN NFL 2K5.[19]

See also

  • NHL 2K

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Goldstein, Hilary (September 1, 2005). "ESPN NHL 2K5". http://ps2.ign.com/articles/543/543919p1.html. 
  2. ↑ "ESPN NHL 2K5". http://www.gpstore.com.au:80/Games/1466987.html. 
  3. ↑ van Leuveren, Luke (January 17, 2005). "Updated Australian Release List - [year mislabeled "January 17, 2004""]. PAL Gaming Network. http://www.palgn.com.au/article.php?id=1896. 
  4. ↑ Sapieha, Chad (18 November 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/espn-nhl-2k5/article20436300/. Retrieved 29 January 2016. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 EGM staff (October 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". Electronic Gaming Monthly (183): 99. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Reiner, Andrew (September 2004). "ESPN NHL Hockey 2K5 [sic"]. Game Informer (137): 103. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/CED9D20B-2094-4054-BEDA-1FFEA632E7F7.htm. Retrieved July 6, 2015. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Enforcer (December 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". GamePro: 144. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050404173503/http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/39711.shtml. Retrieved July 7, 2015. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Gee, Brian (October 7, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/espn-nhl-2k5. Retrieved July 7, 2015. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Navarro, Alex (September 1, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/espn-nhl-2k5-review/1900-6106351/. Retrieved July 6, 2015. 
  10. ↑ Steinberg, Steve (September 8, 2004). "GameSpy: ESPN NHL 2K5 (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 17, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051217021147/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/espn-nhl-2005/545645p1.html. Retrieved July 7, 2015. 
  11. ↑ Valentino, Nick (September 6, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5 - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081230220505/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r24023.htm. Retrieved July 7, 2015. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Goldstein, Hilary (September 1, 2004). "ESPN NHL 2K5". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/09/02/espn-nhl-2k5. Retrieved July 6, 2015. 
  13. ↑ "ESPN NHL 2K5". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 99. October 2004. 
  14. ↑ "ESPN NHL 2K5". Official Xbox Magazine: 78. October 2004. 
  15. ↑ Hill, Jason (February 17, 2005). "Terrific compilation". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/Games/Terrific-compilation/2005/02/16/1108230015103.html. Retrieved July 7, 2015. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "ESPN NHL 2K5 for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/espn-nhl-2k5/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved July 6, 2015. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "ESPN NHL 2K5 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/espn-nhl-2k5/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved July 6, 2015. 
  18. ↑ The GameSpot Editors (January 5, 2005). "Best and Worst of 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050307021607/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/. 
  19. ↑ "2005 Awards Category Details Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2005&idGameAwardType=127. 
  • 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 lengthy 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]

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. 
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Template:Atari



Preceded by
ESPN NHL Hockey 		ESPN NHL 2K5
2004 		Succeeded by
NHL 2K6

Template:2K-Sports-NHL-series

Warning: Default sort key "Espn Nhl 2k5" overrides earlier default sort key "Mobygames".



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