Video game database MobyGames has launched a new premium tier, MobyGames Professional, which allows developers to claim credits for games they have worked on and to customize personal portfolio pages. The service, which is currently in beta with a full release planned for autumn, aims to provide greater recognition for industry professionals.
MobyGames Professional requires a verification process to ensure users are who they claim to be. According to Reece Denzel, product manager for MobyGames, thousands of developers have already claimed their pages since the beta began in June. While the verification process confirms identity, it does not allow developers to alter the actual credit listings on the site, a system that has remained consistent since Atari's involvement. "It's very important for us to note that that does not give them the ability to edit any of the structural information about things like their credits," Denzel stated. "What it does give them the opportunity to do is to go in and edit some details about themselves that are then listed as coming from the verified source of that developer."
This initiative addresses a long-standing issue in the gaming industry where developers, particularly those who may have moved on from projects, are sometimes omitted from official game credits. The feature does not enable developers to add themselves to credits if they were originally excluded. Examples of this practice include the missing development staff from the original Donkey Kong Country Returns in its HD remake, and former Retro Studios engineer Zoid Kirsch's disappointment with the lack of individual credits for the original team in Metroid Prime Remastered. External translators working on Nintendo projects have also voiced similar concerns about not being credited on major titles.
MobyGames Professional is available for $14.99 per month, with an annual subscription option at $11.99 per month. A 45-day free trial is currently being offered.