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| Steg | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Big Red Software |
| Publisher(s) | Codemasters |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle-platform |
Steg, also known as Steg the Slug, is a puzzle-platform game developed by Big Red Software and published by Codemasters in 1992. It was released for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and ZX Spectrum. Players control the titular slug who must traverse caverns in order to capture maggots in bubbles, then guide them to his starving young who wait in a nest.
Players control the slug protagonist and are tasked with feeding their young, referred to as "T'yungunz" (the young 'uns). Steg can jump and adhere to and move along walls and ceilings to visit the nest and locate maggots.[1][2]
Steg's offspring occupy a nest at the top of a cavern,[3] and must be fed with maggots. If the slugs are not fed in time, they die and are replaced by tombstones.[4] Once all the young slugs are fed, Steg proceeds to the next cavern where another nest of young wait to be fed. Maggots roam the game's caverns and must be captured in the bubbles which Steg can blow in order to transport them. In order to blow bubbles the player must press and hold the fire button, which fills a meter. Once the meter is full, Steg blows a bubble when the fire button is released. Above the bubble blowing meter on the game screen is an energy bar which drains once the bubble meter is filled.[5] Steg must hold his breath until the maggot is close enough to capture.[4] Once encapsulated, the maggot can be blown to the nest by Steg, which involves avoiding hazards which can burst the bubble or harm Steg. Other objects such as trampolines can aid the player in jumping higher. Steg is invulnerable to damage but can suffocate if his breath is held for too long.[4][1]
Power-ups include a set of robotic legs, a jet pack and boosts to Steg's speed and energy bar.[4][1]
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.

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]
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