GDC: GameSpy Reveals New Suite Of Developer Tools

IGN Entertainment's GameSpy division has announced a collection of new tools designed to help publishers and developers encourage and enhance gaming communities around their cross-platform game franchises. One of these tools, GameSpy Atlus, will allow developers to create an advanced statistical system for tournaments and competition within their games and websites. Atlus can collect detailed player statistics, while developers can then use to create global leader boards, buddy-leader boards, competition ladders, sponsored tournaments and other similar resources. Atlus also gives players the ability to view stats and ladders out of game automatically using GameSpy’s Arena web service. Another tool, GameSpy Sky Box, is described as a “Match Broadcast” technology designed to let players broadcast or view live or archived matches. Sky Box can also create thousands of virtual channels from games and offer players the ability to create their own original content as well. GameSpy also announced its Teams service, which provides players with integrated tools and services to organize themselves into teams, clans and guilds directly from within a game. GameSpy Teams integrates with GameSpy’s other services, offering players the ability for players to send send instant messages or invitations to all members of a team without the use of an another outside service or application. Additionally, by using GameSpy Teams players can track team statistics, build team leaderboards and ladders, and view team information both in-game and on the web using GameSpy’s Arena website. Finally, the division announced GameSpy Comrade, a new tool designed to let players build buddy lists and instant message other players directly within their games, regardless of platform. With Comrade, gamers can see their friends online, receive notifications when they join games and communicate via instant message. Similarly, an in-game PC or console user can invite buddies who are online but not currently playing to join in their game “These new products accelerate the convergence of next-gen-connected gaming platforms and web 2.0 community features, and empower users to extend the gaming experience both inside and outside the traditional gaming environment,” said Jamie Berger, senior vice president of consumer products and technology for IGN Entertainment. “As the leader in multi-platform online gaming technology, GameSpy is in a unique position to help publishers and developers meet consumers’ growing demand for new and innovative community features that go well beyond the basics of lobbies and chat.”