Night Trap
Encyclopedia
Night Trap is a video game that was released in North America
on October 15, 1992 originally for the Sega Mega-CD. It was filmed over a three week period in 1987 for an unreleased game entitled "Scene of the Crime". The footage was placed into archive once that game never materialized, but the footage was later used to create a game by Digital Pictures
which in total reportedly cost US$1.5 million to produce. This game became Night Trap, which was originally developed for Hasbro
's NEMO system, which used VHS
tapes instead of ROM cartridges. However, when Hasbro scrapped production on the NEMO, Night Trap was moved to the Sega CD and later brought to the Sega 32X
, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
, and PC
platforms with higher-quality video. The game utilized full-motion video scenes entirely and is notorious for the controversy it brewed in 1993, resulting in US Senate hearings and withdrawal of the game from the market. Japan
has gotten a Japanese dub
of this game and the region was only able to see a Mega-CD and 3DO
release.
(one of whom is undercover SCAT agent Kelly, played by Dana Plato
), the vampiric
Augers begin to invade the Martin family house. Later on near the end of the game (If the player manages to capture all the Augers and save all the innocent victims), Kelly finds out that the Martin family are vampires themselves.
The player must also have the correct security access color code selected on screen in order for the traps to work. The code is changed four times throughout the course of the game, and keeping up with the accurate code requires listening in on key conversations. Ultimately, high performance requires repeat plays in order to gain complete knowledge of the story and capture all Augers possible. Time always moves forward, cannot be rewound, and if too many vampire
s are missed, the game ends. The game will also end if certain characters are taken away or if the hosts of the slumber party disconnect your access to the traps.
The game is an example of the trap-em-up genre, which also includes games like Heiankyo Alien
, Space Panic
, and Lode Runner
.
The major differences between the Mega-CD/Sega 32X and 3DO/PC versions were that all references and depictions of Sega related products was eliminated from the latter versions. In order to do this, the introduction and some of the other videos were replaced with the original footage made for the game prior to its dedication to Mega-CD, as it was originally scheduled for release on the canceled Hasbro
NEMO video game console.
Versions released after the Mega-CD differed slightly in presentation. Since later versions utilized better hardware, this allowed for the video in Night Trap to be nearly two times larger than the Mega-CD edition and have better resolution. Also, an on-screen map with each room color coded appeared at the bottom of the player's screen at all times in the 3DO version, although it was useless for detecting intruders. When the game was released for the Sega 32X
, it saw the same improvements introduced in later versions. The PC version also includes a save feature, from which the player can access a new pause menu with a large map of the house. This version also included Dangerous Games, a brief documentary about the game and the controversy that surrounded it.
executives taking a look at Scene of the Crime (the prototype for Night Trap) in December 1987. This is unlocked by pressing Up A A A A A when the credits read "In Memory of Stephen D. Hassenfield".
Night Trap is now infamous because of its part in the 1990s Congressional hearings on offensive video game material. Night Trap, Mortal Kombat
, Lethal Enforcers
and Doom are cited as primary factors in leading to the development of the ESRB
game industry ratings system.
On December 16, 1993, the SEGA CD version of Night Trap was removed from store shelves at Toys "R" Us and F.A.O. Schwarz
locations in the United States in direct response to a December 9, 1993 joint Senate Judiciary and Government Affairs Committee hearing on video game violence. The hearings were covered heavily by the media and were co-chaired by Senators Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut
) and Herbert H. Kohl (Wisconsin
), during which Night Trap was cited as "shameful", "ultra-violent", "sick", and "disgusting", encouraging an "effort to trap and kill women". Contrary to such claims, players are not trapping or killing women, but are saving them from harm.
The Congressional hearings were covered in major newspapers including USA Today
, The Washington Post
and The New York Times
. In particular, a game over
scene in which the character Lisa is wearing a nightgown
while captured by Augers attempting to drain her blood was found to be very offensive, given the circumstances in which she is attacked (scantily clad in a private bathroom). In defense of the game, Tom Zito (President and CEO of Digital Pictures
) attempted to explain the context of the nightgown scene during a hearing session, but he claims he was silenced. In the short documentary Dangerous Games (included with the PC version), the producers and some members of the cast explain that the plot of the game was to in fact prevent the trapping and killing of women. In addition, the blood draining device was intended to look very unrealistic and would therefore mitigate the violence. Despite scenes in which the girls are grabbed or pulled by enemies, no nudity or extreme acts of violence were ever filmed or incorporated into the game.
Additionally, Night Traps box art was criticized by interest groups for what many believed to be a sexist depiction (see above). In 1994, after the controversy died down, the game was ported
to 3DO
and Sega 32X
, and for PC
and Mac in 1995. All of these versions were released with a new cover depicting a tame screenshot of Dana Plato from the game, with decorative artwork in the background.
genre. The game's quality, however, was criticized for its single unfolding of events, which led to stale gameplay after only so many plays. Advancing in the game often meant missing out on numerous scenes by focusing on other rooms to capture Augers.
The game was reviewed in 1993 in Dragon
#195 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. Conversely, Night Trap was ranked the 12th "Worst Video Game of All-Time" in an Electronic Gaming Monthly
article by editor SeanBaby. He and other game journalists also featured the game in a 2007 episode of their comedy web series, Broken Pixels. Yahoo! Games
listed it as one of the top ten controversial games of all time. Game Informer listed the game among the worst horror games of all time in 2008.
The developer, Digital Pictures
, was otherwise notable for their use of interactive video in titles including Sewer Shark
, Corpse Killer
and Ground Zero: Texas
.
Night Trap Retro Corner – XLEAGUE.TV
/TGWTG
's retro video feature on the title. "A History of Video Game Controversy" article on Duke Nukem
and Night Trap from GameSpot
"VHS: The Future of Gaming" from GameSpy
SeanBaby's (of EGM) 20 Worst Video Games of All-Time
Eidolons-inn.net" Sega Cd movie viewer program and everything else concerning Sega
"R18+ and Video Games: A History of Violence" a North Sydney TAFE Film/TV Production by Alexander Gabbott addressing the lack of an R18+ Rating in Australia, heavily focusing on Night Trap as being the Catalyst for the introduction of Classifications within that Country
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on October 15, 1992 originally for the Sega Mega-CD. It was filmed over a three week period in 1987 for an unreleased game entitled "Scene of the Crime". The footage was placed into archive once that game never materialized, but the footage was later used to create a game by Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures was a worldwide American video game developer, founded in 1991 by Ken Melville and Tom Zito.On the Sega CD versions of certain games, if they are played on the systems "audio CD" mode, there is a short track of a phone ringing with a male voice answering "Good afternoon, Digital...
which in total reportedly cost US$1.5 million to produce. This game became Night Trap, which was originally developed for Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
's NEMO system, which used VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
tapes instead of ROM cartridges. However, when Hasbro scrapped production on the NEMO, Night Trap was moved to the Sega CD and later brought to the Sega 32X
Sega 32X
The Sega 32X, codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Mega Drive/Genesis video game console by Sega. Its aim was to increase the lifespan of the aging Mega Drive/Genesis system, which was facing stiff competition from the SNES...
, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...
, and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
platforms with higher-quality video. The game utilized full-motion video scenes entirely and is notorious for the controversy it brewed in 1993, resulting in US Senate hearings and withdrawal of the game from the market. Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
has gotten a Japanese dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
of this game and the region was only able to see a Mega-CD and 3DO
3DO
3DO may refer to:*The 3DO Company, a video game company that developed:**3DO Interactive Multiplayer, a video game console, 1993–1996***List of 3DO games, a list of games released for the 3DO...
release.
Story
A group of young women are staying at Mr. and Mrs. Martin's for the night. The Martin family seems like a normal American family, however, odd things have been occurring at this house. Five girls who previously stayed at the place had disappeared, so the "Sega Control Attack Team" ("Sega" changed to "Special" once the game was ported to other consoles) is called upon to protect the new guests and find out what happened. As the new wave of girls arrive for a slumber partySlumber Party
Slumber Party is an indie rock band from Detroit, Michigan. In 2000, 2 years after the band's formation, they signed to Kill Rock Stars.-Albums:*Slumber Party - Kill Rock Stars *Psychedelicate -Kill Rock Stars...
(one of whom is undercover SCAT agent Kelly, played by Dana Plato
Dana Plato
Dana Michelle Plato was an American actress notable for playing the role of Kimberly Drummond in the U.S. television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.Plato appeared in over 100 television commercials as a young girl...
), the vampiric
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
Augers begin to invade the Martin family house. Later on near the end of the game (If the player manages to capture all the Augers and save all the innocent victims), Kelly finds out that the Martin family are vampires themselves.
Cast
- Dana PlatoDana PlatoDana Michelle Plato was an American actress notable for playing the role of Kimberly Drummond in the U.S. television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.Plato appeared in over 100 television commercials as a young girl...
as Kelly - J. Bill Jones as Simms
- Deke Anderson as Jason
- William Bertrand as Eddie
- Arthur BurghardtArthur BurghardtArthur Burghardt is an American actor known for portraying Dr. Jack Scott on the soap opera One Life to Live.His first movie appearance was as the Great Ahmed Kahn in Network . A prolific voice actor during the 1980s, his most celebrated roles were Destro in the animated series G.I. Joe and...
as Collins - Suzy Cote as Sarah Martin
- Roy Eisenstein as Jim
- Christy Ford as Megan
- Blake GibbonsBlake GibbonsBlake Gibbons is an American actor with a recurring role as Coleman on the long running Daytime television serial General Hospital.He also played "The Dude" in The Summer of George episode of Seinfeld....
as Mike - Joshua Godard as Danny
- Andras JonesAndras JonesAndras Jones is an American actor who has worked in movies and in television. He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1988 hit horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master as the central character Rick Johnson....
as Jeff Martin - Jon R. Kamel as Victor Martin
- Giovanni Lemm as Tony
- Tracy Matheson as Cindy
- Debra Parks as Lisa
- Allison Rhea as Ashley
- Molly Starr as Sheila Martin
- Heidi Von Brecht as Swanson
Gameplay
Referred to as "control", the player views events via hidden cameras set up in eight different locations, which can be viewed one at a time. As the aforementioned Augers creep into the house, the player has to spot them and use traps to capture them. At the bottom of a screen rests a small meter; when this meter fills, it is the player's signal to activate a trap in the room being viewed (i.e. a revolving bookcase or a faux seal on the floor) and capture the Auger(s) on screen, adding to the score.The player must also have the correct security access color code selected on screen in order for the traps to work. The code is changed four times throughout the course of the game, and keeping up with the accurate code requires listening in on key conversations. Ultimately, high performance requires repeat plays in order to gain complete knowledge of the story and capture all Augers possible. Time always moves forward, cannot be rewound, and if too many vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s are missed, the game ends. The game will also end if certain characters are taken away or if the hosts of the slumber party disconnect your access to the traps.
The game is an example of the trap-em-up genre, which also includes games like Heiankyo Alien
Heiankyo Alien
is a video game created by the University of Tokyo's Theoretical Science Group in 1979. The game was originally developed and released as a personal computer game in 1979, and was then published by Denki Onkyō Corporation as an arcade game in January 1980...
, Space Panic
Space Panic
Space Panic is a 1980 arcade game designed by Universal, which Chris Crawford calls the first ever platform game, as it pre-dates Nintendo's Donkey Kong which is often cited as the original platform game. Space Panic lacks Donkey Kongs jump mechanic, disqualifying it as a platformer for some...
, and Lode Runner
Lode Runner
Lode Runner is a 1983 platform game, first published by Brøderbund. It is one of the first games to include a level editor, a feature that allows players to create their own levels for the game. This feature bolstered the game's popularity, as magazines such as Computer Gaming World held contests...
.
Platform differences
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
NEMO video game console.
Versions released after the Mega-CD differed slightly in presentation. Since later versions utilized better hardware, this allowed for the video in Night Trap to be nearly two times larger than the Mega-CD edition and have better resolution. Also, an on-screen map with each room color coded appeared at the bottom of the player's screen at all times in the 3DO version, although it was useless for detecting intruders. When the game was released for the Sega 32X
Sega 32X
The Sega 32X, codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Mega Drive/Genesis video game console by Sega. Its aim was to increase the lifespan of the aging Mega Drive/Genesis system, which was facing stiff competition from the SNES...
, it saw the same improvements introduced in later versions. The PC version also includes a save feature, from which the player can access a new pause menu with a large map of the house. This version also included Dangerous Games, a brief documentary about the game and the controversy that surrounded it.
NEMO footage
Footage of the never released VHS-based NEMO can be found in the Mega-CD version of Night Trap when entering a button code during the credits. This footage shows HasbroHasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
executives taking a look at Scene of the Crime (the prototype for Night Trap) in December 1987. This is unlocked by pressing Up A A A A A when the credits read "In Memory of Stephen D. Hassenfield".
Controversy
Mortal Kombat (video game)
Mortal Kombat is a 1992 fighting-game developed and published by Midway for arcades. In 1993, home versions were released by Acclaim Entertainment. Released in the Fall of 1994, the Microsoft Windows 3.1x version was released by Activision Interactive. It is the first title in the Mortal Kombat...
, Lethal Enforcers
Lethal Enforcers
Lethal Enforcers is a 1992 shooting game released for the arcades by Konami. It is best known for its revolver-shaped light gun known as the Konami Justifier, its digitized graphics, and the controversy over its content.Home versions were released for the Super NES, Sega Genesis and Sega CD during...
and Doom are cited as primary factors in leading to the development of the ESRB
Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and...
game industry ratings system.
On December 16, 1993, the SEGA CD version of Night Trap was removed from store shelves at Toys "R" Us and F.A.O. Schwarz
F.A.O. Schwarz
FAO Schwarz is the name of an upscale toy retailer in New York City, located in the General Motors Building on 5th Avenue. It is the oldest operating toy retailer in North America, and is often considered as the New York equivalent of Hamleys in London....
locations in the United States in direct response to a December 9, 1993 joint Senate Judiciary and Government Affairs Committee hearing on video game violence. The hearings were covered heavily by the media and were co-chaired by Senators Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
) and Herbert H. Kohl (Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
), during which Night Trap was cited as "shameful", "ultra-violent", "sick", and "disgusting", encouraging an "effort to trap and kill women". Contrary to such claims, players are not trapping or killing women, but are saving them from harm.
The Congressional hearings were covered in major newspapers including USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. In particular, a game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
scene in which the character Lisa is wearing a nightgown
Nightgown
A nightgown is a loosely hanging item of nightwear. Nowadays the term is almost exclusively applied to women's nightwear. A nightgown is typically made from cotton, silk, satin, or nylon...
while captured by Augers attempting to drain her blood was found to be very offensive, given the circumstances in which she is attacked (scantily clad in a private bathroom). In defense of the game, Tom Zito (President and CEO of Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures was a worldwide American video game developer, founded in 1991 by Ken Melville and Tom Zito.On the Sega CD versions of certain games, if they are played on the systems "audio CD" mode, there is a short track of a phone ringing with a male voice answering "Good afternoon, Digital...
) attempted to explain the context of the nightgown scene during a hearing session, but he claims he was silenced. In the short documentary Dangerous Games (included with the PC version), the producers and some members of the cast explain that the plot of the game was to in fact prevent the trapping and killing of women. In addition, the blood draining device was intended to look very unrealistic and would therefore mitigate the violence. Despite scenes in which the girls are grabbed or pulled by enemies, no nudity or extreme acts of violence were ever filmed or incorporated into the game.
Additionally, Night Traps box art was criticized by interest groups for what many believed to be a sexist depiction (see above). In 1994, after the controversy died down, the game was ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to 3DO
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...
and Sega 32X
Sega 32X
The Sega 32X, codenamed Project Mars, is an add-on for the Mega Drive/Genesis video game console by Sega. Its aim was to increase the lifespan of the aging Mega Drive/Genesis system, which was facing stiff competition from the SNES...
, and for PC
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and Mac in 1995. All of these versions were released with a new cover depicting a tame screenshot of Dana Plato from the game, with decorative artwork in the background.
Reception
Due to the controversy over the game, Night Trap only sold through an initial print run, but was still considered financially successful. Today, many consider the game to be a classic of the FMV gameFMV game
- 1983 :* Astron Belt* Cliff Hanger* Dragon's Lair* Firefox- 1984 :* Cobra Command* Ninja Hayate* Space Ace* Thayer's Quest- 1991 :* Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp* Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective* Time Traveler* Who Shot Johnny Rock?- 1992 :...
genre. The game's quality, however, was criticized for its single unfolding of events, which led to stale gameplay after only so many plays. Advancing in the game often meant missing out on numerous scenes by focusing on other rooms to capture Augers.
The game was reviewed in 1993 in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#195 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. Conversely, Night Trap was ranked the 12th "Worst Video Game of All-Time" in an Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
article by editor SeanBaby. He and other game journalists also featured the game in a 2007 episode of their comedy web series, Broken Pixels. Yahoo! Games
Yahoo! Games
Yahoo! Games is the section of the Yahoo! website in which Yahoo! users can play games either with other users or by themselves. The games on the website are typically Java applets or quick Flash games, but there are others which require a download. Many of the games that require a download...
listed it as one of the top ten controversial games of all time. Game Informer listed the game among the worst horror games of all time in 2008.
The developer, Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures
Digital Pictures was a worldwide American video game developer, founded in 1991 by Ken Melville and Tom Zito.On the Sega CD versions of certain games, if they are played on the systems "audio CD" mode, there is a short track of a phone ringing with a male voice answering "Good afternoon, Digital...
, was otherwise notable for their use of interactive video in titles including Sewer Shark
Sewer Shark
Sewer Shark is a first-person rail shooter game, the first video game for a game console to use full-motion video for its primary gameplay. It was originally slated to be the flagship product in Hasbro's NEMO video game system, which would use VHS tapes as its medium. However, Hasbro cancelled the...
, Corpse Killer
Corpse Killer
Corpse Killer is a game released for the Sega CD, Sega CD 32X, 3DO, Sega Saturn, Windows 95 and Macintosh computers that features full motion video in a format similar to other games developed by Digital Pictures. Each version of the game is identical except for two major differences. The quality...
and Ground Zero: Texas
Ground Zero: Texas
Ground Zero: Texas is a full motion video game, released for the Sega Mega-CD in November 1993. The game relies heavily on video footage, with which the player interacts. It contains 110 minutes of interactive footage from four different cameras. It was directed by Dwight H...
.
External links
Night Trap at Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
XLEAGUE.TV
XLEAGUE.TV was a broadcast production unit owned by The New World Assembly Group, creating and providing content on its primary subject of video games...
/TGWTG
That Guy with the Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses is a website that mostly showcases satirical reviews of movies and video games. It primarily stars Chicago native Douglas Darien "Doug" Walker as "That Guy with the Glasses". The founder and administrator of the site is Michael Michaud, CEO of the parent company Channel...
's retro video feature on the title.
Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem is a video game series focusing on its protagonist, Duke Nukem. Originally created by Apogee Software Ltd./3D Realms as a series of video games for the PC, the franchise expanded to games released for various consoles by third party developers...
and Night Trap from GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...