It would be difficult to find a more meticulously catalogued time capsule of gaming history on the internet than MobyGames. If you’ve never heard of that name, I’d be surprised, given its heritage dates all the way back to 1999, but I’ll give you the rundown anyway. MobyGames is a crowdsourced (effectively crowdsourced, unlike 90% of today’s Kickstarter campaigns) database that lists hundreds upon thousands of video games, retro and modern alike.
Zelda, Mario, Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties, you name it – just type it in and you’ll be greeted with all the info you could ever want about that particular title, from global release details to screengrabs and trivia. Think Wikipedia, TV Tropes and IMDb all tossed into a blender together and sprinkled with a bit of that knowing gamer self-deprecation. In short, it’s awesome, and in the twenty-plus years since its inception it’s remained a fantastic resource for research, or just idling away the hours down a rabbit hole of curiosity. Why yes, I think I will spend half an hour on the page for Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing.
Atari CEO weighs in
Until now, MobyGames has largely been an independent venture, passed between several hands but always maintaining its simple interface. However, as NintendoLife reports, that could be about to change. Industry legend Atari have acquired the site for $1.5 million, the latest in a long line of corporate takeovers that have dotted the gaming landscape of late.
Per the report, Atari CEO Wade Rosen had the following to say about the purchase:
“The MobyGames community has played a sustained and important role in the documentation, celebration, and preservation of video games, and supporting MobyGames allows us to give back to the community and contribute to its growth and success.”
“It’s important to Atari that MobyGames retains every bit of its integrity, and we’re committed to supporting the site in ways that improve the experience for both contributors and users.”
It’s understandable that longtime visitors to the site may feel somewhat wary about such a sudden changeover, and indeed concerns surrounding the brand’s unique feel being maintained are aired in the report’s comments. “I really hope nothing happens to this site, it’s a great resource,” reads one. “This is bad news, modern Atari is terrible,” grumbles another, clearly not a fan of the VCS. Yet another user believes the prognosis is grim: “this is straight up not a good thing. The potential for Atari to wreck this pillar in the retro community is significant, and in my opinion very likely. I can see Atari wanting to monetize this to no end and kill the place this has in the retro community.” Poor tidings indeed.
MobyGames manager weighs in
However, these are not views echoed by Jeremiah Freyholtz, General Manager of MobyGames; on the contrary, the lad seems quite optimistic about the purchase.
“In Atari, MobyGames has found a partner that will provide the investment and support we need to complete long-planned site improvements. I am confident this transition will allow MobyGames to remain an important community-driven project and that Atari’s involvement best positions us for long-term stability and success.”
We of course, being a bit long-in-the-tooth ourselves, wish all the very best on the MobyGames team during this transition, and hope that this beloved annal of gaming history is treated with the respect it deserves. Can’t harpoon this one, Ishmael.
How about you? Do you have concerns about this buyout? Have you any memories with MobyGames? Let us know!
Via, NintendoLife.
