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Desperate Housewives

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 7 min

Desperate Housewives: The Game
Developer(s)Liquid Entertainment
Publisher(s)Buena Vista Games[lower-alpha 1]
Platform(s)Windows
Release
  • NA: October 6, 2006
  • EU: November 3, 2006[1]
  • AU: 2006
Genre(s)Life simulation, social simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Desperate Housewives: The Game is a life simulation adventure game developed by Liquid Entertainment and released by Buena Vista Games in 2006, in the style of The Sims games. It is based on the television series Desperate Housewives. The player takes the part of a housewife with amnesia who has recently moved with her husband and son to Wisteria Lane. The plot takes place over 12 episodes. The game features a script by Desperate Housewives writer Scott Sanford Tobis and voice acting by Brenda Strong. It achieved sales in excess of 400,000 copies by early 2009.

Plot

The game begins when a family moves to Wisteria Lane: a successful doctor working at the Fairview Medical Center, a wife with a forgotten past after a jogging accident and their son. In the game, the player takes on the role of the wife, and is able to customise her and build relationships with other characters. Edie Britt first introduces the wife to Wisteria Lane and visits Bree Van de Kamp, who invites her to gossip at her house along with Susan Mayer, Lynette Scavo and Gabrielle Solis. A pair of brothers then visit the player's house: Daniel Fox, a famous designer and his twin brother Frank Fox, who installs an Internet service in the player's computer. The player's character then progresses through episodes, completing tasks that range from gardening and cooking for player's family, to discovering the secrets of the neighborhood.

The player must battle off a love rival to her husband – his secretary Jackie Marlen who stops at no cost to get what she wants – and the cranky neighbor, Etta Davenport. She must also deal with the antics of her unruly 14-year-old son and the people around him. Other residents aren't as nice as they seem when a private investigator, Erik Larsen, shows up in town alongside a shady businessman, Vincent Corsetti, who seems to have ulterior motives. In the end, their secrets are aired to the public and a desperate decision is made in a hostage situation.

The game features four possible endings. The player can decide to run away with Erik Larsen or Vincent Corsetti, or remain married to her husband. A fourth ending allows the player to shoot all three men.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic61/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGMStar[3]
GamePro3.25/5[4]
GameSpot6.5/10[5]
GameZone7.2/10[6]
IGN8.2/10[1]
PALGN7/10[7]
PC Gamer (UK)30%[8]
PC Gamer (US)85%[9]
PC Zone53%[10]
X-PlayStarStarStar[11]
Entertainment WeeklyB[12]
The Sydney Morning HeraldStarStarStarHalf star[13]

Desperate Housewives received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] Some reviewers praised it as a well-written and faithful adaption of the television series; however, the game also attracted criticism for its derivative, simplistic gameplay and prominent product placement.[14] The editors of PC Gamer US presented Desperate Housewives with their 2006 "Best Adventure Game" award.[15] During the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Desperate Housewives for "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female".[16]

In the United States, Desperate Housewives: The Game debuted at #6 on the NPD Group's weekly computer game sales chart for the October 8–14 period. Tor Thorsen of GameSpot reported that the game "instantly became the subject of widespread derision" upon its announcement, but that its first-week placement suggested its "publisher may be having the last laugh".[17] Desperate Housewives ultimately achieved sales in excess of 400,000 copies by January 2009.[18]

Future

On June 28, 2017, MegaZebra released an officially licensed mobile game also entitled Desperate Housewives: The Game. This episodic mystery game allows players to create their own housewife that has recently moved to Wisteria Lane, and acts as a prequel to the main television series. The game received its final update in February 2019.[19]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Krause, Staci (November 8, 2006). "Desperate Housewives: The Game Review". Ziff Davis. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/08/desperate-housewives-the-game-review. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Desperate Housewives: The Game for PC Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/desperate-housewives-the-game/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  3. ↑ "Desperate Housewives: The Game". Computer Games Magazine (theGlobe.com) (194): 71. January 2007. 
  4. ↑ Tenacious Moses (October 11, 2006). "Review: Desperate Housewives: The Game". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061018144434/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/83695.shtml. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  5. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (January 2, 2007). "Desperate Housewives: The Game Review". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/desperate-housewives-the-game-review/1900-6163675/. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  6. ↑ Boker, Gabe (November 1, 2006). "Desperate Housewives: The Game - PC - Review". Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081002000516/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r29413.htm. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  7. ↑ van Leuveren, Luke (November 23, 2006). "Desperate Housewives [The Game Review"]. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080225194148/http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=5866&sid=a197585abe8161a25c79a055226b7491. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  8. ↑ PC Gamer UK staff (March 2007). "PC Review: Desperate Housewives [The Game"]. PC Gamer UK (Future plc). Archived from the original on January 15, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080115151328/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=157676. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  9. ↑ "Desperate Housewives: The Game". PC Gamer (Future US) 13 (13): 112. December 25, 2006. 
  10. ↑ "Review: Desperate Housewives: The Game". PC Zone (Future plc): 69. May 2007. 
  11. ↑ Mastrapa, Gus (November 27, 2006). "Desperate Housewives [The Game"]. G4 Media. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061206201515/http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1327/Desperate_Housewives.html. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  12. ↑ Walk, Gary Eng (October 13, 2006). "Playing House". Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.). Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080110154009/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1546193,00.html. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  13. ↑ Hill, Jason (January 11, 2007). "Desperate Housewives: The Game". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). https://www.smh.com.au/technology/desperate-housewives-the-game-20070111-gdp7li.html. Retrieved March 5, 2018. 
  14. ↑ Mastrapa, Gus. "G4 - Reviews - Desperate Housewives". http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1327/Desperate_Housewives.html. "Every time your character washes her hands or throws a dark load into the washer, you're exposed to the name of some corporate sponsor." 
  15. ↑ "The 13th Annual PC Gamer Awards Reveals The Best Of The Best For 2006". South San Francisco, California. February 2, 2007. Archived from the original on June 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070617172734/http://www.futureus-inc.com/archives/2007/02/the_13th_annual_1.php. 
  16. ↑ "2007 Awards Category Details Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2007&idGameAwardType=87. 
  17. ↑ Thorsen, Tor (October 25, 2006). "US PC Game charts: October 8–14". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070228160610/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160445.html. Retrieved October 22, 2018. 
  18. ↑ Richmond, Ray (January 15, 2009). "'Desperate Housewives': Cherry's orchard". Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on October 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181016060040/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/desperate-housewives-cherrys-orchard-77719. 
  19. ↑ "Desperate Housewives: The Game - app store revenue, download estimates, usage estimates and SDK data | Apptopia" (in en). https://apptopia.com/ios/app/1130858397/about. 
  1. ↑ Released under ABC brand
  • Desperate Housewives: The Game at Buena Vista Games website
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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