Software:Skylanders: Swap Force

From HandWiki
Short description: 2013 video game
Skylanders: Swap Force
Developer(s)Vicarious Visions
Beenox
n-Space (3DS)
Publisher(s)Activision
Director(s)Jeremy Russo
Producer(s)Eric Carter
Nick Ruepp
Chris Wilson
Dawn Pinkney
Designer(s)Mike Stout
Artist(s)Steven Olds
Dave E. Phillips
Lee Harker
Composer(s)Lorne Balfe[1]
SeriesSkylanders
EngineVicarious Visions Alchemy
Platform(s)
ReleaseNintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
  • NA: October 13, 2013
  • AU: October 16, 2013
  • EU: October 18, 2013
PlayStation 4
  • NA: November 15, 2013
  • EU: November 29, 2013
  • AU: December 5, 2013
Xbox One
  • WW: November 22, 2013
Genre(s)Role-playing, Platformer
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Skylanders: Swap Force (stylized as Skylanders: SWAP Force) is a 2013 platform game developed by Vicarious Visions and Beenox and published by Activision. It is the third main game in the Skylanders video game and toy franchise, following 2012's Software:Skylanders: Giants, which was a direct sequel to 2011's Software:Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.

It is the first Skylanders game to be released in North America before other regions, unlike the previous two games where Australia got the installments first. It is also the first Skylanders game not to be owned by Vivendi.

Gameplay

The gameplay of SWAP Force is based on the two previous games, Software:Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure and Software:Skylanders: Giants, with the Skylanders gaining the new ability to jump without needing a bounce pad. Players use a portal to bring real-life figures into the game; SWAP Force introduces a new Portal of Power that can handle up to 16 figures on the portal at once, as opposed to the previous portals that can only handle 4 figures at once[2]. This change to the Portal of Power comes as a result of the new characters: The SWAP Force, who have unique top and bottom halves that can be separated from each other and recombined with halves from other characters. In total, there are 256 combinations between the top and bottom halves. The SWAP Force characters also have eight distinct ways of moving tied to their bottom halves, which are necessary to enter side areas called "SWAP Zone Challenges". These are Rocket, Spin, Dig, Stealth, Teleportation, Bounce, Speed and Climb.

Plot

Premise

For years, the SWAP Force protected the volcano that replenishes Skylands' magic every hundred years. However, following a battle, they were caught in the eruption, which blasted them apart, sent them to Earth, and gave them the ability to swap powers. The Skylanders must prevent the Elementals from being evilized, stop Kaos, and save the Skylands.

Characters

SWAP Force features sixteen new core characters and sixteen new swappable characters, in addition to sixteen reposed Skylanders from previous games.[3] The sixteen new swappable characters are Wash Buckler, Blast Zone, Free Ranger, Freeze Blade, Night Shift, Magna Charge, Stink Bomb, Rattle Shake, Hoot Loop, Trap Shadow, Grilla Drilla, Spy Rise, Rubble Rouser, Doom Stone, Boom Jet and Fire Kraken. [4] The sixteen new core characters are Bumble Blast, Countdown, Dune Bug, Fryno, Grim Creeper, Pop Thorn, Punk Shock, Rip Tide, Roller Brawl, Scorp, Scratch, Slobber Tooth, Smolderdash, Star Strike, Wind Up, and Zoo Lou. [5]

Synopsis

Every 100 years, the Elementals, a group of four ancient creatures consisting of the Flashfin, the Terrasquid, the Frost Hound, and the Tree Spirit, unite to replenish the Skylands' magic through Mount Cloudbreak. During the last eruption ceremony, Kaos' mother Kaossandra tried to destroy the volcano, but a team of Skylanders defended it. Following the volcano's eruption, they were sent to Earth and gained the ability to swap their tops and bottoms, transforming them into the SWAP Force.

100 years later, Captain Flynn goes to see the eruption and finds a girl named Tessa, who is being pursued by a fleet of monsters called Greebles and explains her home is in danger. Although he succeeds in driving them off with help from the Skylanders, his ship is damaged in the crash. Afterwards, Flynn and Tessa arrive at her home village of Woodburrow and meet the village crier, Rufus. They learn that the chieftess has been captured and Kaos has created a device called the Evilizer, which uses Petrified Darkness to turn others into stronger and more aggressive crystal versions of themselves.

The Skylanders rescue the chieftess and bring her back to the village. However, Kaos has learned of the Elemental's whereabouts and plans to evilize one of them, which will cause Mount Cloudbreak to turn evil and spread Darkness across Skylands. Glumshanks begins to doubt Kaos's ability to take over the Skylands, so Kaos evilizes him and sends him to his dig site. Tessa leads the Skylanders to Mudwater Hollow, the location of the Flashfin, to stop Kaos from evilizing it. They make their way to Kaos' dig site and stop the operation; in the process, they defeat Glumshanks and turn him back to normal.

Glumshanks returns to Kaos, who is disappointed by his failure, and is greeted by Kaossandra, who mocks him for his incompetence. The Skylanders attempt to find the Terrasquid and make their way to the town of Motleyville hoping to get help from its baron, Sharpfin. When they arrive, Baron Von Shellshock, a servant of Kaos, evilizes Tessa's bird Whiskers and sends him to attack them. After dealing with Shellshock and turning Whiskers back to normal, Sharpfin promises to help the Skylanders find the Terrasquid and sends his crew to fix Flynn's ship. They arrive at the location of the Terrasquid, where they fight the Fire Viper; afterwards, Kaossandra shows up at Kaos' lair to help him.

Sharpfin takes Flynn and the Skylanders to a small elf village in the tundra, where they meet the frost elf Avril. After helping her deal with a cyclops invasion in her village, she tells them the Frost Hound is located in the Frostfest Mountains. The Skylanders make their way to the Frost Hound, where Kaossandra sends her servant Mesmerelda to attack them, but they defeat her and rescue the Frost Hound.

Kaos then attacks Fantasm Forest, the home of the Tree Spirit, using Petrified Darkness as a fuel source to evilize her and burn down her domain. The Skylanders make their way to the forest and defeat the trolls while capturing Kaos. The eruption ceremony begins as the chieftess names Tessa the new chieftess of Woodburrow and the Elementals go to begin the eruption. However, Kaossandra shows up and takes back Kaos while kidnapping Tessa. Using Flynn's newly repaired ship, the Skylanders, Flynn and Sharpfin make their way to Kaos' fortress and defeat Kaossandra, imprisoning her in a mirror prison and rescuing Tessa. Kaos reveals that he filled the volcano with Petrified Darkness to turn it into a massive Evilizer.

As Flynn, Sharpfin, and Tessa go with the Skylanders into the volcano, Kaos tells Glumshanks to finish the pile of Petrified Darkness. However, after the pile falls down on top of him, he is transformed into a giant Evilized version of himself known as "Super Evil Kaos". The Skylanders defeat him and destroy the crystals on his body, reverting him to normal. They escape the volcano and Kaos and Glumshanks discover they have been swapped. The volcano then erupts, replenishing the magic in Skylands as everyone celebrates.

3DS Plot

In another part of Skylands, Hugo, Flynn and Cali visit Flynn's hometown, Boomtown, where the people are celebrating in his honor. The celebration is interrupted when Count Moneybone, the lord of the Undead, attacks, stealing Flynn's statue and turning Cali into an undead. The Skylanders and the Swap Force must stop Moneybone before he turns all of Skylands undead.

Starter Packs

As with the previous installments of the game, Skylanders: SWAP Force is available for purchase in starter kits that include a copy of the game itself, the Portal of Power, three characters to begin or supplement a player's collection, a poster of the entire SWAP Force collection, cards, stickers, and Web codes

Development

Audio

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
MetacriticX360: 83/100[6]
WIIU: 89/100[7]
PS3: 83/100[8]
PS4: 79/100[9]
3DS: 68/100[10]
Review scores
PublicationScore
DestructoidX360: 8.5/10[11]
Eurogamer8/10[12]
Game Informer8.5/10[13]
GameRevolutionPS3: 8/10[14]
GameSpotPS3: 7/10[15]
GamesRadar+X360: StarStarStarStar[16]
IGN8.2/10[17]
3DS: 7.1/10[18]
JoystiqX360: StarStarStarStarHalf star[19]
Nintendo LifeWIIU: StarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[20]
3DS: StarStarStarStarStarStar[21]
Nintendo World ReportWIIU: 8.5/10[22]
3DS: 6/10[23]
OPM (UK)PS3: 7/10[24]
OXM (UK)XONE: 7/10[26]
OXM (US)X360: 7.5/10[25]
Pocket Gamer3DS: StarStarStarHalf star[27]
PolygonX360: 7.5/10[28]
Push SquarePS4: StarStarStarStarStarStar[29]
The GuardianX360: StarStarStarStar[30]
VentureBeatPS3: 90/100[31]
VideoGamer.comX360: 9/10[32]

Skylanders: Swap Force received "generally favorable" reviews for most platforms according to review aggregator Metacritic;[6][7][8][9] the Nintendo 3DS version received "mixed or average" reviews.[10] The Metacritic scores for the game were the highest and most positive of the series on most platforms. Gaming website Quarter to Three gave both the Wii U and Xbox 360 a perfect score of 5/5.[33][34] Video game website Gaming Age gave the PlayStation 3 version the highest grade of an "A" and further commented that "whether you’re a Skylanders fan or a gamer who’s looking for a charming and unique family-friendly game series to get into, Skylanders Swap Force comes highly recommended."[35]

During the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Skylanders: Swap Force for "Family Game of the Year".[36]

References

  1. ↑ Greening, Chris (2013-05-01). "Lorne Balfe Interview: Scoring Assassin's Creed and Skylanders". Game Music Online. http://www.vgmonline.net/lornebalfeinterview/. 
  2. ↑ "Reverse engineering Skylanders' Toys-to-life mechanics". https://marijnkneppers.dev/posts/reverse-engineering-skylanders-toys-to-life-mechanics/. "Some of the earlier portals can only handle four figures at a time. This was, however, not enough to handle the swappers that were introduced in Skylanders: Swap Force. These figures needed 2 chips, one for the top half and one for the bottom half." 
  3. ↑ "Skylanders Swap Force FAQ". Activision. https://www.skylanders.com/swapforce/faq. 
  4. ↑ "All Skylanders Characters from Skylanders: SWAP force". https://skylanderscharacterlist.com/swap-force-figures/. 
  5. ↑ "All Skylanders Characters from Skylanders: SWAP force". https://skylanderscharacterlist.com/swap-force-figures/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Skylanders Swap Force for Xbox 360". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/skylanders-swap-force/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Skylanders Swap Force for Wii U". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/skylanders-swap-force/critic-reviews/?platform=wii-u. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Skylanders Swap Force for PlayStation 3". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/skylanders-swap-force/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Skylanders Swap Force for PlayStation 4". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/skylanders-swap-force/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Skylanders Swap Force for 3DS". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/skylanders-swap-force/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds. 
  11. ↑ Carter, Chris (October 14, 2013). "Review: Skylanders: Swap Force". Destructoid. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-skylanders-swap-force/. 
  12. ↑ Whitehead, Dan (October 17, 2013). "Skylanders SWAP Force review". Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-10-17-skylanders-swap-force-review. 
  13. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force Review". Game Informer (GameStop Corp.). https://www.gameinformer.com/games/skylanders_swap_force/b/xbox360/archive/2013/10/13/interchangeable-fun.aspx. Retrieved March 23, 2022. 
  14. ↑ Bischoff, Daniel (October 13, 2012). "Skylanders Swap Force Review". GameRevolution. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/61828-skylanders-swap-force-review. 
  15. ↑ Barylick, Chris (October 17, 2012). "Skylanders Swap Force Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/skylanders-swap-force-review/1900-6415480/. 
  16. ↑ Veloria, Lorenzo (October 14, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force review". GamesRadar+. https://www.gamesradar.com/skylanders-swap-force-review/. 
  17. ↑ Butts, Steve (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force Review". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/13/skylanders-swap-force-review. 
  18. ↑ Butts, Steve (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force 3DS Review". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/13/skylanders-swap-force-3ds-review. 
  19. ↑ Cowan, Danny (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force review: Swappin', not stoppin'". Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/13/skylanders-swap-force-review-ddd327a6/. 
  20. ↑ DelVillano, Ron (October 19, 2013). "Skylanders SWAP Force Review (Wii U)". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu/skylanders_swap_force. 
  21. ↑ DelVillano, Ron (October 30, 2013). "Skylanders SWAP Force Review (3DS)". Nintendo Life. https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds/skylanders_swap_force. 
  22. ↑ Ronaghan, Neal (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force". Nintendo World Report. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/35691/skylanders-swap-force-wii-u. 
  23. ↑ Barnett, Patrick (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force". Nintendo World Report. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/35702/skylanders-swap-force-nintendo-3ds. 
  24. ↑ Reseigh-Lincoln, Dom (December 6, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force PS3 review – Toy-related collectathon returns with a new trick". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future Publishing UK. http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/review/skylanders-swap-force-ps3-review-official-playstation-magazine-review/. 
  25. ↑ Reyes, Francesca (October 14, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force review". Official Xbox Magazine (Future Publishing). http://www.oxmonline.com/skylanders-swap-force-review. Retrieved March 23, 2022. 
  26. ↑ Blyth, Jon (November 19, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force". Official Xbox Magazine UK (Future Publishing). http://www.oxm.co.uk/66498/reviews/skylanders-swap-force-review/. Retrieved March 23, 2022. 
  27. ↑ Willington, Peter (December 6, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/skylanders-swap-force/skylanders-swap-force/. 
  28. ↑ Riendeau, Danielle (October 18, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force Review: Toy Story". Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2013/10/18/4853348/skylanders-swap-force-review-toy-story. 
  29. ↑ Michalik, Nathan (December 6, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force Review (PS4)". Push Square. https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/skylanders_swap_force. 
  30. ↑ Stuart, Keith (October 18, 2013). "Skylanders: Swap Force – review". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2013/oct/18/skylanders-swap-force-review-video-game. 
  31. ↑ Henningsen, Jay (October 13, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force leaps over its predecessors with jumping and platforming elements (review)". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2013/10/13/skylanders-swap-force-review/. 
  32. ↑ "Skylanders: Swap Force Review". October 21, 2013. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/skylanders-swap-force-review/. 
  33. ↑ Harvey, Rob (October 16, 2013). "Skylanders Swap Force is enough new stuff to delight a whole family". Quarter to Three. https://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2013/10/16/skylanders-swap-force-enough-new-stuff-delight-whole-family/. 
  34. ↑ Chick, Tom (October 28, 2013). "Is Skylanders Swap Force a force for good, a force for evil, or something else?". Quarter to Three. https://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2013/10/28/skylanders-swap-force-force-good-game-design-evil-business-models/. 
  35. ↑ Cordeira, Jim (October 15, 2013). "Skylanders SWAP Force review for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U". Gaming Age. https://gaming-age.com/2013/10/skylanders-swap-force-review-ps3-xbox-360-wii-u/. 
  36. ↑ "2014 Awards Category Details Family Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2014&idGameAwardType=61. 
  • 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. 
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  • 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. 
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