Software:Outlaw Volleyball

From HandWiki
Short description: 2003 video game
Outlaw Volleyball
Developer(s)Hypnotix
Publisher(s)North America
Simon & Schuster Interactive
PAL
TDK Mediactive Europe (Xbox)
Global Star Software (PS2)
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
ReleaseXbox
PlayStation 2
  • PAL: April 8, 2004
  • NA: May 17, 2005
Genre(s)Sports, fighting
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Outlaw Volleyball is a video game based on the sport of volleyball. It was originally published for the Xbox and included a sampler CD of tunes by cover band Diffuser. The Xbox version was also released in Japan as part of Xbox's World Collection series. It was later ported to the PlayStation 2 with two new courts and a handful of additional player costumes, accessories, etc. under the title Outlaw Volleyball Remixed. The game is part of the Outlaw series, and other titles include Outlaw Golf and Outlaw Tennis. The game features Steve Carell as the announcer.

Gameplay

There are seventeen playable characters with four available from the start, each having their own stats for the volleyball and fighting portions of the game.[4] The game follows the normal rules of volleyball and a standard game with standard rules can be played. However, there are a number of different modes that mix up the standard formula. One example is Hot Potato, where the ball is played as a timer ticks down, and once it runs out the ball explodes upon impact of the nearest player. Another is "Casino Round", where the longer the rally, the more money the scoring team on that play gets. Individual settings can also be altered within these modes, such as adjusting whether only the serving team can score a point ("side out" rule) or any team who wins the rally gets a point.

Fighting with other characters is an option before a serve where a player can choose to fight an opponent on the other side of the net. If the player wins they earn the victim's momentum bar. Beating tokens are earned after great plays and a turnover of the serve.

Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot

Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot released as a rental-only exclusive for Blockbuster, and meant to serve as a side game to the original rather than a full-fledged sequel. The game is set in hell and contains only one court, the "Pit of Hell", which was not in the original Outlaw Volleyball. Returning characters also had slight outfit variants to reflect the setting, such as red horns and devil wings.

Development

Outlaw Volleyball utilized motion capture to record the character's performances. Scrapped animations and concept artwork for the game were released on the Hypnotix website.[5] Music for the game was composed by multiple punk rock bands established in the 1990s and early 2000s, including Avoid One Thing, Diffuser, Hot Rod Circuit, Junk, The Exit, Warrior, and Waterdown. The song "Meat" was written and performed by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. Nile Rodgers was an executive producer for the soundtrack and MTV's Melinda Gedman served as a music supervisor. In an interview, Rodgers stated that video games were a great "showcase for new talent", as they allowed bands to achieve success outside of the music industry.[6] Diffuser's music video "Get It On" featured gameplay footage from Outlaw Volleyball, which debuted on MTV and VH1. The original soundtrack was released on July 8, 2003, the same day as the game's launch in North America.[6]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
AllGameN/AStarStarStarHalf star[7]
EGMN/A7.83/10[8]
Game InformerN/A8.25/10[9]
GameProN/AStarStarStarStarHalf star[10]
GameRevolutionN/AB[11]
GameSpot5.8/10[12]7/10[13]
GameSpyN/AStarStarStar[14]
GameZoneN/A8.5/10[15]
IGNN/A8/10[16]
OPM (UK)7/10[24]N/A
OXM (US)N/A8.2/10[17]
The Cincinnati EnquirerN/AStarStarStarHalf star[18]
PlayboyN/A50%[19]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings63.65%[20]78.49%[21]
Metacritic57/100[22]77/100[23]

Reviews ranged from positive to very mixed. GameRankings and Metacritic gave Outlaw Volleyball a score of 79% and 77 out of 100,[21][23] and also gave Outlaw Volleyball Remixed a score of 64% and 57 out of 100.[20][22] Critics complimented the game for its humor and online functionality, but criticized its easy difficulty, lack of gameplay depth, and repeated jokes.[16] The PlayStation 2 version received mixed or average reviews, citing the game as a "lazy rehash" and "a clunky port of a 2-year-old title".[24][12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "What's New?" (in en-gb). Eurogamer.net. 2003-11-14. https://www.eurogamer.net/news141103whatsnew. 
  2. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (June 24, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball goes gold" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/articles/outlaw-volleyball-goes-gold/1100-6030549/. 
  3. ↑ "Outlaw Volleyball Release Information for Xbox". https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/xbox/561471-outlaw-volleyball/data. 
  4. ↑ UnHoly One (May 3, 2003). "Maximum Character Stats FAQ". https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/xbox/561471-outlaw-volleyball/faqs/25623. 
  5. ↑ "Behind The Scenes". https://www.hypnotix.com/pages/behind_the_scenes.html. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gaudiosi, John (June 25, 2003). "Video game publishers spin soundtrack synergy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030714140358/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/columns/tech_reporter_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1920736. Retrieved December 16, 2024. 
  7. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Outlaw Volleyball - Review". AllGame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=38474&tab=review. 
  8. ↑ EGM staff (September 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball". Electronic Gaming Monthly (171): 132. 
  9. ↑ Mason, Lisa (September 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball". Game Informer (125): 120. http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200309/R03.0821.1032.55839.htm. Retrieved October 24, 2014. 
  10. ↑ Tokyo Drifter (July 18, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/30270.shtml. Retrieved October 24, 2014. 
  11. ↑ Liu, Johnny (July 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/outlaw-volleyball. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Davis, Ryan (June 22, 2005). "Outlaw Volleyball Remixed Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/outlaw-volleyball-remixed-review/1900-6128030/. 
  13. ↑ Davis, Ryan (July 16, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/outlaw-volleyball-review/1900-6071776/. 
  14. ↑ Meston, Zach (July 26, 2003). "GameSpy: Outlaw Volleyball". GameSpy. http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/outlaw-volleyball-spike-or-die/6027p1.html. 
  15. ↑ Valentino, Nick (July 27, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball - XB - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/outlaw_volleyball_xb_review. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Boulding, Aaron (July 10, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/07/11/outlaw-volleyball-review. 
  17. ↑ "Outlaw Volleyball". Official Xbox Magazine: 80. September 2003. 
  18. ↑ Saltzman, Marc (August 12, 2003). "Outlaw Volleyball fun for older players". The Cincinnati Enquirer. http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/081203_outlawvolley.html. 
  19. ↑ "Outlaw Volleyball". Playboy: 34. July 2003. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Outlaw Volleyball Remixed for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/925818-outlaw-volleyball-remixed/index.html. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Outlaw Volleyball for Xbox". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/561471-outlaw-volleyball/index.html. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Outlaw Volleyball Remixed for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/outlaw-volleyball-remixed/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Outlaw Volleyball for Xbox Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/outlaw-volleyball/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Issue 65". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine (Future publishing): pp. 129. November 2005. https://www.retromags.com/magazines/uk/official-playstation-2-magazine/official-playstation-2-magazine-issue-65/. 
  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

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