More than ever, we need websites like MobyGames. User-driven databases are increasingly becoming the remaining trustworthy and usable sources due to the internet's continuous de-shittification, where trustworthy and helpful content is being buried behind a pile of useless crap. How the standards have evolved.
MobyGames was established 25 years ago. Its future was never certain, however. To be honest, I can't think of a period of time when it wasn't in danger of collapsing. However, Atari acquired ownership of the website around two years ago, in 2022. I wasn't sure at the moment whether it was just another turn in a string of unfortunate events, but that was my first thinking.
Given my past experiences with the site, I jumped at the opportunity to talk with general manager Jeremiah Freyholtz and CEO Wade Rosen of Atari about its current situation and future.
2009 saw my arrival to the MobyGames community. I joined mostly to hone my video game writing skills, but I did make a few minor additions to the database. That was fifteen years ago, and it brought me here. I learned how to be a critic by reading user reviews for every game that is available on the website. Even the very first review I ever wrote is still there, and it's terrible. I won't put you on it out of embarrassment, but I keep it up to demonstrate how far I've come in my art.
But more significantly, I felt a connection to the locals there. The forums were a bustling hub for video game discussion at the time. Just a group of individuals with wildly diverse and specialized preferences who all enjoyed playing video games from different periods. I am totally at home here.
The website's owners sold it to GameFly Media in 2010, with disastrous outcomes. Nobody in the neighborhood was informed before it was done. One day the bottom of the screen was blank except for the GameFly logo. A few seasoned contributors and approvers quit right away. When the business unveiled a revised design for the website somewhere in 2013, even the most hopeful, however, soon lost hope.
MobyGames's initial design was dated quickly, and its updated version was faulty and unplayable. The rest of the community fell apart. The discussions on the forum stopped. After I felt like there was nothing left for me there, I even left.
During the end of December 2013, I received a message on Steam from a member of the community. The previous location had returned. All of a sudden, without warning. Goddamned Christmas Miracle, that was.
Simon Carless of Blue Flame Labs and Jeremiah Freyholtz, who we known as Reed at the time, purchased the website from GameFly. Everything had been rolled back. What's more, they intended to carry out the necessary labor to assist with MobyGames' restoration.
The community was dubious since they had been so severely burnt by the Gamefly arrangement. While Reed was responding and considering community comments, work was starting on Blue Flame's own site redesign. However, there were just too many ardent supporters to satisfy. Looking back, Blue Flame was MobyGames' savior. In my opinion, anyhow.
Sadly, nothing would ever be the same in the town. Please understand that a large number of the individuals with whom I used to interact in the forums are still there, as are many of the people who regularly make contributions to the website. However, the idle conversation about video games in general and their past never truly reappeared. That most likely transferred, as is common these days, to the Discord server.
But the updates started to come in less often. Simon Carless confirmed in 2014 that MobyGames wasn't very profitable. This meant that Freyholtz was unable to give the website his whole attention and had to turn his attention elsewhere. Tracy Poff, a local, was hired to take care of maintenance and implement any changes that may be made.
I consistently donated to the website. I'm not sure why, but I always believed this was the main page of the website due of the advertisements. Actually, throughout the most of our existence, the site was mainly funded by advertisements and affiliate links, as Freyholtz informed me. Even though we sometimes received contributions, they were little.
Antstream acquired the website at some point in 2020, but not much changed. It was so subtle that neither I nor most of the community noticed. It did, however, allow Atari to enter.
Wade Rosen claims, "We got the option to purchase Mobygames entirely as part of our strategic investment in Anstream, which owned Mobygames, back in late 2021. In early 2022, we exercised that option. I had seen MobyGames from the beginning as something that made sense in the Atari line of products.
"Mobygames has always been the reliable source of information regarding video games," said Rosen. "I have found that to be especially helpful in the game publishing industry, both at Ziggurat and Atari."
I assumed that Atari's purchase would just be a rerun of the GameFly scenario when it was first announced in 2022. Up until then, the Atari I knew was riding high on previous successes, sporadically releasing (very) subpar entries in earlier series. However, the firm has come a long way in demonstrating that game preservation is their business model since Rosen became CEO. It doesn't seem like such a horrible fit now.
MobyGames went into overdrive with development. A lot of new features were added to the website in addition to another interface overhaul. One of the most intriguing features, MobyPro, a premium membership tier with enhanced analytics, is currently in development. For those who only want to browse the database without charge, not much has changed, but for individuals like me who often study video games, this is a noteworthy feature.
According to Freyholtz, "I felt that it and the overall long term vision was untenable with the old backend from 1999." He had originally intended to create MobyPro about 10 years ago. Rather, we initially focused on constructing a new location and infrastructure, which served as a new base of operations. Over many years, I worked on that part-time, on-as-needed basis with Tracy Poff, the other developer at Moby. as well as the approvers' input throughout the development process. Finally, we were able to cross the finish line thanks to Atari's funding and assistance!
He said, "I'm relieved we made it through; it was a huge project." "Especially now that the website and database are in the best possible condition."
The quick rate of progress we've been able to do since the update has electrified the community, according to Freyholtz, who also discusses how the community reacted. Before that, it took *forever* to make upgrades and correct bugs. Additionally, MobyPro is only getting started, so it's still very early in the game.
When I inquired about whether donations had increased following the website's upgrade, Freyholtz gave me a graph to show.
Yes, it is a graph. Although there isn't an axis shown here, it clearly goes up.
However, improvements are continuously being made. Although it is still in early access, MobyPro is accessible. Although the site is in better form than I've ever seen it in, I asked Freyholtz about any upcoming upgrades since I was intrigued.
"Oh, without a doubt, there are lots!" He answered. Additionally, a few have been added since the new site's introduction. Among those, Game Relations is a favorite. It enables game links to any of its DLC, expansion packs, conversions, compilations, or special editions for contributors.
However, rather than going too far into other directions, we're generally concentrating more on enhancing the user interface and procedures for our current data types.
The community has been asking for game relations in particular ever since I was involved there. Items like as DLC and expansion packs would have their own record in the database, and you would usually have to read the description to find out what they were linked to. That is briefly shown on the game relations panel.
In response to demands from the community, I was compelled to pose a lighthearted inquiry about the possibility of the Famicom Disk System gaining its own platform.
"As for Famicom, I'm not sure where we'll land on that yet. There are different opinions about that (and some other platforms) in the community," Freyholtz said. "At the moment, it is documented as a tech spec, which you can access here."
Yes, there has been debate on this topic for a long time in the community—even back when I was involved. I'm on the side that believes it belongs in a separate category if it's unclear. Sega CD and Turbografx CD are classified as different systems, after all.
On the internet, 25 years is virtually old. Web 1.0 stopped in 1999, even before the dotcom bubble exploded. I asked Rosen and Freyholtz what they anticipated MobyGames to look like in 25 years to wrap off the session.
Wade Rosen expressed his excitement at the addition of the professional layer to the already extensive body of knowledge and vibrant community. It offers up a plethora of options as you anticipate how the site will chronicle and analyze more contemporary games. Although it is difficult to foresee precisely what will happen, I believe MobyGames will persist in fulfilling its primary goal of being the most reliable source of information on video games.
“I think it will make the current MobyGames look like a baby in terms of capabilities and scope of video game knowledge,” says Jeremiah Freyholtz. and will play a more and bigger role in the sector.
It's hardly a given that MobyGames won't have further difficulties given its prior struggles. But now that Jeremiah Freyholtz has the means to carry out his idea for the website thanks to Atari, things seem more promising than before. Hopefully, the diligent community volunteers who contribute and accept requests, together with the new proprietors, will be able to sustain this vital resource for a very long time.
"Check back on our 50th Anniversary!" says Freyholtz.