Software:Playboy: The Mansion

From HandWiki

Not to be confused with Playboy Mansion.
Short description: 2005 video game
Playboy: The Mansion
North American cover art
Developer(s)Cyberlore Studios
Publisher(s)Arush Entertainment
Groove Games
Director(s)Seth Spaulding
Producer(s)Eric Marcoullier
Designer(s)Brenda Brathwaite
Programmer(s)William McFadden
Artist(s)Seth Spaulding
EngineGamebryo
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
  • NA: January 25, 2005
  • PAL: March 4, 2005
Genre(s)Erotic, business simulation game
Mode(s)Single player

Playboy: The Mansion is a 2005 simulation video game for the PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Xbox consoles, developed by Cyberlore Studios, published by Groove Games and Arush Entertainment and licensed by Playboy Enterprises.

Gameplay

Playboy: The Mansion puts players in the role of Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy Magazine and Playboy Enterprises, referred to in the game as 'Hef'. The aim of the game is to build the famed Playboy Empire from scratch, starting from a humble magazine to celebrity endorsements to home entertainment to Internet websites to merchandise.

The player can mold the famed Playboy Mansion to their own needs and wants, and has the option of experiencing the infamous Playboy Playmate parties in locations such as the Grotto and the Clubhouse. Hef, as well as all other characters in the game, can build three types of relationships with other characters: casual, business, and romantic. Each month, the player has to print an issue of the magazine. To do that the player needs a cover shoot, a centerfold, an essay from a celebrity, interview with a celebrity, a pictorial about a subject and an article about a subject. The player must hire photographers and writers to create each issue. All the characters have interests, such as sports and music, and writers on those topics will produce higher-quality articles. In the game, the player is the photographer during photo shoots. The game contains many sexual references, including sexual relationships.

There are twelve missions in total. Some of the goals include making and/or fixing relationships with people, publishing certain magazine content, and throwing parties. Players can also choose not to achieve goals, as there is no time limit, and do other things such as parties, mansion renovations and playing with the mansion's variety of games; however, magazines must continue to be published as that is the player's income source.

Music

The main song on the video game is "Playboy Mansion" by Prince Charming, from the album Songs For My Therapist. A soundtrack to the game, mixed by American DJ and record producer Felix da Housecat has been released. It features house tracks by many renowned producers like Armand Van Helden, DJ Sneak or Kaskade.

Expansion pack

Playboy: The Mansion - Private Party Expansion Pack is the expansion pack. It adds extra features such as parties like Midsummer Night's Dream, world-famous celebrities and Playmates, new animations, enhanced character editing and party-themed music.

Features

The expansion adds many new features to the game. When characters engage in sexual activities, they now remove their underwear and their genitals are blurred, much like The Sims characters. Another feature is the ability to throw "theme parties", which consist of Halloween, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hef's Birthday, Tropical, Playmate of the Year and more.

Development

The game used the Gamebryo engine.[1]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(Xbox) 62.14%[2]
(PC) 60%[3]
(PS2) 59.97%[4]
Metacritic(Xbox) 61/100[5]
(PC) 59/100[6]
(PS2) 59/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM4.67/10[8]
Eurogamer5/10[9]
Game Informer6.5/10[10]
GameProStarStarHalf star[11]
GameRevolutionC−[12]
GameSpot6.3/10[13]
GameSpyStarStarStar[14][15]
GameZone6.8/10[16][17]
(PS2) 6.6/10[18]
IGN6.9/10[19]
OPM (US)StarStar[20]
OXM (US)7.6/10[21]
PC Gamer (US)61%[22]
Detroit Free PressStarStar[23]
The Sydney Morning HeraldStarStarHalf star[24]

The game was met with mixed reception. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 60% and 59 out of 100 for the PC version,[3][6] 59.97% and 59 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2 version,[4][7] and 62.14% and 61 out of 100 for the Xbox version.[2][5]

Eurogamer noted that the game was similar to The Sims series but was unfortunately less entertaining. It was considered "a little too slight a proposition for a full game."[9]

The New York Times gave it a mixed review and stated: "Sex and nudity often work well in movies, but video games laced with sex never rise above mediocrity, and Mansion seems decidedly underbaked."[25] The Sydney Morning Herald gave it two-and-a-half stars out of five and called it "A frisky concept with limited thrills and not enough depth to challenge gamers."[24] Detroit Free Press gave it two stars out of four and stated: "I flipped on the game expecting a world of champagne, roses and frequent wisps of steam. Instead, I got an immediate request that I construct an office on the mansion's upper floor."[23]

References

  1. ↑ "NDL Announces Pipeline of Gamebryo Powered Titles". May 10, 2004. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040603021322/http://www.ndl.com/press_release_template.cfm?release=20040510. Retrieved January 31, 2024. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Playboy: The Mansion for Xbox". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/920473-playboy-the-mansion/index.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Playboy: The Mansion for PC". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/914992-playboy-the-mansion/index.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Playboy: The Mansion for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/920481-playboy-the-mansion/index.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Playboy: The Mansion Critic Reviews for Xbox". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/playboy-the-mansion/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Playboy: The Mansion Critic Reviews for PC". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/playboy-the-mansion/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Playboy: The Mansion Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/playboy-the-mansion/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  8. ↑ "Playboy: The Mansion". Electronic Gaming Monthly (190): 114. April 2005. http://www.1up.com/reviews/playboy-the-mansion_4. Retrieved January 20, 2014. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Gillen, Kieron (March 16, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion Review (PS2)". Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-playboythemansion-ps2. 
  10. ↑ Helgeson, Matt (April 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion". Game Informer (144): 117. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/F5663832-D978-4352-B3CB-4BC8D85CFAAC.htm. Retrieved January 20, 2014. 
  11. ↑ LaMancha, Manny (February 2, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion". GamePro. http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/41661.shtml. Retrieved January 20, 2014. 
  12. ↑ Reilly, Mike (February 18, 2005). "Sims Gone Wild Review". GameRevolution. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33100-playboy-the-mansion-review. 
  13. ↑ Davis, Ryan (January 28, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/playboy-the-mansion-review/1900-6117479/. 
  14. ↑ Rausch, Allen (January 27, 2005). "GameSpy: Playboy: The Mansion (PC)". GameSpy. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/playboy-the-mansion/583204p1.html. 
  15. ↑ Stratton, Bryan (January 28, 2005). "GameSpy: Playboy: The Mansion". GameSpy. http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/playboy-the-mansion/583596p1.html. 
  16. ↑ Raymond, Justin (February 27, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion - PC - Review". GameZone. https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/playboy_the_mansion_pc_review/. 
  17. ↑ Zacarias, Eduardo (February 2, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion - XB - Review". GameZone. https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/playboy_the_mansion_xb_review/. 
  18. ↑ Beavis (February 20, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion - PS2 - Review". GameZone. https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/playboy_the_mansion_ps2_review/. 
  19. ↑ Castro, Juan (January 22, 2005). "Playboy: The Mansion". https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/22/playboy-the-mansion. 
  20. ↑ "Playboy: The Mansion". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 103. April 2005. 
  21. ↑ "Playboy: The Mansion". Official Xbox Magazine: 82. March 2005. 
  22. ↑ "Playboy: The Mansion". PC Gamer: 66. April 2005. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Schaefer, Jim (February 6, 2006). "It's not easy being Hef". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/entertainment/videogames/game6e_20050206.htm. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Wilcox, Mike (March 25, 2005). "Playtime cut short". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/playtime-cut-short-20050325-gdkzm5.html. 
  25. ↑ Herold, Charles (February 17, 2005). "Underneath It All, Substance Sells". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/17/technology/circuits/underneath-it-all-substance-sells.html. 
  • 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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