MobyGames

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MobyGames
File:MobyGames Logo.svg
Logo since March 2014
Screenshot
File:MobyGames frontpage, April 2012.png
Frontpage as of April 2012
Type of site
Gaming
Available inEnglish
OwnerAtari SA
Founder(s)Jim Leonard
Brian Hirt[1]
URLmobygames.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedMarch 1, 1999; 26 years ago (1999-03-01)[1]
Current statusOnline

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.[2] 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".[3] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[4] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copyediting.[5] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[6]

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 subforum.

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, three friends since high school.[7][8] 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.[6] Within its first few years of being online, Berk emphasized in an interview MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society, and for the desire to preserve games for their important cultural influence.[6]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[9] This was announced to the community post factum[citation needed] and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[8] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.[citation needed]

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).[10] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[11] and for the next eight years the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[8]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[12] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[13][14][15] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from the scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[2] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[16]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[17] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Yarwood, Jack (March 1, 2024). "Video Game Database MobyGames Celebrates 25 Years". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sheehan, Gavin (February 22, 2023). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  3. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (November 26, 2021). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  4. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". MobyGames.com. Blue Flame Labs. March 30, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  5. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". MobyGames.com. Blue Flame Labs. January 6, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Miller, Stanley A. (April 22, 2003). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  7. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames". Oldskooler Ramblings. February 28, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Plunkett, Luke (March 10, 2022). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". Kotaku. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. February 7, 2011. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011.
  10. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". Polygon. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ Wawro, Alex (December 31, 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021.
  13. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (March 9, 2022). "Atari purchases Moby Games". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million". VGC. March 9, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  16. ↑ Stanton, Rich (March 10, 2022). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  17. ↑ Harris, John (March 9, 2024). "MobyGames Offering "Pro" Membership". Set Side B. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  18. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". Patreon. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
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