LucasArts Signs Multi-Title, Multi-Platform Agreement With IGN/GameSpy

LucasArts Signs Multi-Title, Multi-Platform Agreement With IGN/GameSpy

Enabling Technology Embedded in LucasArts Games Will Facilitate Online Play
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (Mar. 24, 2004) -- LucasArts and IGN/GameSpy have signed a multi-title, multi-platform technology licensing agreement to facilitate online gameplay for titles developed by LucasArts' internal and third-party teams. Titles already scheduled to have technology embedded include: "Star Wars: Battlefront(TM)" PC, "Star Wars: Battlefront" PS2 and "Star Wars: Republic Commando(TM)" PC.

IGN/GameSpy will supply LucasArts four distinct Software Development Kits (SDKs) toolkits that integrate with the company's games to provide matchmaking, community, administrative and networking functionality. In addition, IGN/GameSpy will offer LucasArts consulting and beta testing services.


"Partnering with IGN/GameSpy allows LucasArts to offer game fans the most enjoyable online gaming experience," Mark Barbolak, Corporate Counsel for LucasArts, said. "We're very pleased to be working with IGN/GameSpy and are confident the technology the company is embedding in our games will further improve our dynamic product portfolio."

IGN/GameSpy has spent more than five years developing and fine-tuning its SDK toolkits, while constantly honing the high-performance back-end infrastructure that the games using IGN/GameSpy SDKs connect to. IGN/GameSpy created an expert workforce to oversee all the aspects of developing, integrating and running an online service. The goal has been to allow IGN/GameSpy customers to move away from building, running and maintaining their own costly online service infrastructure without sacrificing any desired functionality or performance, according to Mark Jung, CEO, IGN/GameSpy.

"Over the last several years, IGN/GameSpy has become the leader in the online middleware space with a fully outsourced solution invaluable to the top game publishers and developers," Jung said. "We provide publishers and developers with the tools and back-end services they need for their online multiplayer games, so they can concentrate on what they're good at -- making great games."

Jung said the company's multi-title, multi-platform agreement with LucasArts will give IGN/GameSpy a chance to improve the experience of online game play for Star Wars fans.

"We're looking forward to working closely with LucasArts' talented development teams to create innovative titles that increase the enjoyment of game play for consumers," Jung said. "Our relationship and day-to-day collaboration will offer IGN/GameSpy the opportunity to push the envelope even further."

Source: LucasArts

 

What they didnt tell you is that gamespy is a spyware riddled piece of S#%&.

Is this the only way you can play the game online? By using a proprietary server that you have to pay additional for if you dont want to be bombarded by gamespy and IGN advertising?

What a joke. Good way to screw up a promising game!!

 

Uhh...what he said.

 

GameSpy really are doing their best to clean up their act at the moment, their servers are being run alot more swimmingly, and I'm actually starting to enjoy playing the odd game of Battlefield on there.

Fingers crossed that the recent merger will make the whole system work better.