Software:The Black Mirror (video game)

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The Black Mirror
Developer(s)Future Games
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Windows
Release
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single player

The Black Mirror is a third-person point-and-click horror adventure game developed in 2003 by Czech company Future Games. Its original name is Posel Smrti (Czech: Death's Messenger). The game features 150 locations and 5 hours of spoken dialogue. The Black Mirror became a commercial success, with 500,000 units sold worldwide by 2008. It was particularly successful in Germany, under publisher DTP Entertainment. Two sequels, Black Mirror II: Reigning Evil and Black Mirror III: Final Fear, were released. Additionally, a reboot titled Black Mirror was released on November 28, 2017.[4]

Gameplay

The exterior of Black Mirror Castle.

Plot

The story takes place in August 1981, primarily at Black Mirror, the ancestral manor of the Gordon family located in Suffolk, England. The protagonist, Samuel Gordon, is forced to return to the Black Mirror manor after 12 years absence upon hearing of the death of his grandfather, William Gordon. Despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding William's death, it is considered a suicide by everyone except for Samuel.

Upon his arrival in Black Mirror, Samuel begins his investigation of his grandfather's death. Samuel's investigation soon reveals that his grandfather had interests in the arcane, and up until his death had spent nearly every waking hour working to uncover the mystery of the Gordon family's curse. From his grandfather's writings and other sources, Samuel discovers that centuries ago, in the 1200s, the Gordon line began with two brothers, Marcus and Mordred Gordon. The eldest, Mordred, was a monster of a man, opening a dark portal known as the Black Mirror deep under where the manor now stands. The younger, Marcus, fought his brother, killing him and containing - but not closing - the Black Mirror. In his dying breath the elder cursed the younger, stating that he and his descendants would be forever cursed until five souls were sacrificed and his evil was unleashed once more. William's notes also speak of five sacred keys required to shut the portal for good, entrusted to different members of the Gordon family. Samuel then begins his quest to seek out the five sacred keys and close the Black Mirror permanently.

As the story progresses, further strange and unexpected deaths occur to individuals around Black Mirror, each one accompanied by a strange blood-red sigil. Samuel travels the land around Black Mirror, visiting a local town, chapel, and sanatorium, and also at one point travels to his family's second manor in Wales to obtain a key there. At long last Samuel obtains the five keys, but moments later also discovers the horrifying truth: he is the killer responsible for all the deaths, ending the lives of the victims in his sleep; this is the nature of the Gordon family curse. Samuel enters the catacombs beneath the mansion, enters the Black Mirror, and using the five keys seals the portal. After this, unable to live with the atrocities he has committed, Samuel jumps from the top of the mansion, falling onto the same spiked fence which killed his grandfather.

The game is divided into six chapters:

  • Chapter I: Return of the Future
  • Chapter II: Back to the Light
  • Chapter III: Hidden Legacy
  • Chapter IV: Forgotten Bound
  • Chapter V: Confession of the Truth
  • Chapter VI: Look Through the Mirror

Development

The game's development started in early 2000 with a development team of 5 people. The release date was initially late 2002, but after slight delays, it was released in March 2003.[5]

Reception

Sales

A few weeks after The Black Mirror's initial release in the Czech Republic, Marcel Speta of Future Games reported that it was selling adequately and according to company forecasts.[6] GMX Media president Eugene Perry remarked in March 2004 that the game had "been very successful in every territory",[7] and Future Games saw it as a "solid" seller in the United States.[8] Its global sales left the developer "extremely satisfied" by that May, according to Future's Martin Malík. At the time, it had just launched in Germany, and the company was hopeful regarding its performance in the region.[9] It claimed position #1 on Amazon.de's sales rankings upon release, although Carsten Fichtelmann of German publisher DTP Entertainment noted that certain brick and mortar stores had ordered "very small" shipments, a decision he considered to be a mistake.[10]

The Black Mirror ultimately surpassed DTP's sales forecasts and became a hit in Germany.[11][12] 4players reported that it was "by far" Germany's most successful adventure title during 2004's first six months, and that its sales proved the adventure genre's health in the country.[13] That September, DTP reiterated that it was performing "extremely well in the German-speaking territories", and that strong sales persisted "many months after" its initial launch. He noted that it was catching up to the sales of DTP's most popular adventure release, Runaway,[14] which had sold 60,000 units in Germany and had earlier helped to revive the country's adventure game industry.[15] The Black Mirror maintained its status as Germany's top-selling adventure of 2004 through the end of the year;[11][12] Chris Kellner of DTP believed that the game's German sales surpassed its commercial performance anywhere else.[11] Alongside Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Silver Earring and The Moment of Silence, The Black Mirror contributed to DTP's large-scale growth during 2004.[16]

The Black Mirror went on to sell above 100,000 units in Germany alone.[17] According to Future Games, global sales surpassed 500,000 units by late 2008.[18]

Critical reviews

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGMStarStarHalf star[21]
CGWStarStar[19]
PC Gamer (US)72%[20]

According to Gameswelt, The Black Mirror received harsh reviews from critics in the United States.[12] Scott Osborne, writing for Gamespot, admired the length, locations, challenge and atmosphere of the game. However, he criticised the voice acting and writing.[22]

4Players named The Black Mirror 2004's best adventure game.[23] In 2011, Adventure Gamers named Black Mirror the 83rd-best adventure game ever released.[24]

Legacy

Sequels

Black Mirror II: Reigning Evil
Developer(s)Cranberry Production
Publisher(s)Viva Media
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseSeptember 25, 2009
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single player
Black Mirror III: Final Fear
Developer(s)Cranberry Production
Publisher(s)Viva Media
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseApril 9, 2011
Genre(s)Adventure, horror
Mode(s)Single player

German-based Cranberry Production developed a sequel, Black Mirror II, in 2009. It takes place in November 1993, twelve years after the original game.

A second and final sequel by Cranberry Production, Black Mirror III, was released in 2011.[25][26] The story connects with the end of Black Mirror II and features two playable characters.

Reboot

Main article: Software:Black Mirror (2017 video game)

KING Art Games and THQ Nordic released Black Mirror, a modern re-imagining of the series. It features a new cast and is set in 1926. It is not a point-and-click game, unlike previous entries in the series.

References

  1. ↑ "The Black Mirror ships" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-black-mirror-ships/1100-6076912/. 
  2. ↑ "Future Games hlavnp stronka". 2003-10-09. http://www.futuregames.cz/EN/MainMenu.html. 
  3. ↑ "What's New?" (in en-gb). Eurogamer.net. 2004-05-28. https://www.eurogamer.net/whatsnew-280504. 
  4. ↑ "Black Mirror reboot in the works". 17 August 2017. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-08-17-black-mirror-reboot-in-the-works. 
  5. ↑ Buday, Pavol. "Posel Smrti Interview s Unknown Identity". http://www.sector.sk/clanok/5225/posel-smrti-interview-s-unknown-identity.htm. 
  6. ↑ "The Celebrity Corner; Interview with Future Games / Unknown Identity". The Inventory (Just Adventure) (7): 20–26. March 2003. http://www.justadventure.com:80/TheInventory/TheInventory.shtm. 
  7. ↑ "GMX Media to publish Black Mirror". https://adventuregamers.com/news/view/19360. 
  8. ↑ Cibulka, Ján (January 31, 2005). "Rozhovor s M. Malikom o českej dobrodružnej adventúre Nibiru". SME. http://hry.sme.sk/clanok-1911332.html. 
  9. ↑ Schneider, Jan (May 19, 2004). "Interviews; Martin Malík". Adventure-Treff. http://www.adventure-treff.de/artikel/interviews.php?id=21&lang=eng. 
  10. ↑ Staff (April 8, 2004). ""Black Mirror" top bei Amazon". The Market for Computer & Video Games. http://www.mediabiz.de/games/news/black-mirror-top-bei-amazon/152408. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Sluganski, Randy. "JA Speaks to dtp Entertainment's Chris Kellner". Just Adventure. http://www.justadventure.com:80/Interviews/DTP/DTP.shtm. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Gameswelt Editors (January 21, 2005). "Special: Interview mit Future Games". Gameswelt. http://www.gameswelt.de/future-games/special/special,4871. 
  13. ↑ Naser, Bodo (June 7, 2004). "Black Mirror: dtp mit Erfolg zufrieden". 4players. http://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/PC-CDROM/3150/32868/Black_Mirror_-_Der_dunkle_Spiegel_der_Seele-.html. 
  14. ↑ "The Lounge; Interview with DTP". The Inventory (Just Adventure) (17): 16–21. September 2004. http://www.justadventure.com:80/TheInventory/TheInventory.shtm. 
  15. ↑ Mansutti, Klaus Jürgen (April 2006). "Die Spielemacher vom Goldbekkanal". Hamburger Wirtschaft. Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. http://www.hamburger-wirtschaft.de/html/hw2006/artikel/08_portrait/06_04_16_dtp_entertainment.html. 
  16. ↑ Gameswelt Editors (January 21, 2005). "Adventure - Special: Interview mit DTP Digital Tainment Pool". Gameswelt. http://www.gameswelt.de/dtp-entertainment/special/special,4869. 
  17. ↑ Schrader, Torsten (October 6, 2009). "Black Mirror 2 – Das deutsche Grusel-Adventure im ausführlichen Test". BlairWitch.de. https://www.blairwitch.de/news/black-mirror-2-das-deutsche-grusel-adventure-im-ausfuhrlichen-test/. 
  18. ↑ "Alter Ego; Future Games' Gothic Adventure Secured by Publisher Daedalic Entertainment" (Press release). GamesIndustry.biz. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018.
  19. ↑ Cook, Denice (February 2004). "Reviews; The Black Mirror". Computer Gaming World (235): 87. 
  20. ↑ Saltzman, Marc. "Reviews; The Black Mirror". PC Gamer US. http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/the_black_mirro.html. 
  21. ↑ Yans, Cindy (February 2004). "Opinion; The Black Mirror". Computer Games Magazine (159): 84. 
  22. ↑ Osborne, Scott (8 November 2003). "The Black Mirror Review". Gamespot. https://www.gamespot.com/the-black-mirror/reviews/. 
  23. ↑ "4Players: Spiele des Jahres 2004 - Special, Awards". 23 December 2004. http://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Special/4818/3327/0/4Players_Spiele_des_Jahres_2004.html. 
  24. ↑ AG Staff (December 30, 2011). "Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games". Adventure Gamers. https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18643. 
  25. ↑ "Black Mirror III (2011) Windows release dates - MobyGames". http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/black-mirror-iii/release-info. 
  26. ↑ "Black Mirror III for PC - Black Mirror III PC Game - Black Mirror III Computer Game". http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/blackmirroriii/similar.html?mode=versions. 
  • 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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