MobyGames - FAQ

History

Who is/was behind MobyGames?

The original founders of the site in 1999 were as follows: Jim Leonard owns the brain that gave birth to MobyGames and worked with the site for its first 10 years or so; Brian Hirt was MobyGames' chief code and worked on it from 1999 onwards, fading into the background in the 2010s; David Berk was the business brain behind the site and co-owner for the first few years; Rob is a long time MobyGames contributor who was a site admin.

Following a 2010-2013 stint owned by Gamefly, the site was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz (Reed) in late 2013, who ran the site from then on. The site was acquired by Atari in early 2022, but the goal remains the same. In early 2025, Reed stepped down as site lead, leaving operations to TracyPoff, already a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.

Why did the original creators make MobyGames?

Jim Leonard: "I got the idea for MobyGames several times over the last decade. Whenever I would play a game I really liked, whether it was the wonderful game design or a host of other factors, I found myself wanting to learn more about what other people though of the game, and also if there were more games like it. For particularly ingenious game designs or coding, I wanted to know more about who created it. MobyGames is the physical embodiment of those desires."

Where did all of the MobyGames database information come from?

All information entered in the database has been sourced from reliable sources - whether it be the original retail game's box, specific websites, or a host of other places. Approvers and admins check the facts on the way through so that the highest possible quality information appears on the site.

What are the latest changes to the inner workings of the site?

You can view a list of the latest features and fixes to the site by viewing past news and the changelog.