Although many games now come with built-in player matching services for finding games on the Internet, and despite the fact that many of these built-in tools are powered by GameSpy, GameSpy Arcade, the latest incarnation of their stand-alone game matching software, continues to be very popular. I can recall the humble beginnings of this tool, which was one of the first to make finding a Quake server and joining an online game a simple point-and-click process, free from typing in IP addresses and console commands. Since then GameSpy has continually added features, to the point where it is now the most complete gaming service on the Internet, offering not only game matching, but chat, news, player tracking, file downloads, instant messaging, and even a collection of their own free parlor games.
Why use GameSpy Arcade when a game already has functions for finding online games? The most obvious reasons are that many people play more than one game, and that GameSpy has a very sophisticated buddy list system which makes it easy to find your friends. Of course, GameSpy has a variety of other convenient features which appeal to millions of gamers, so here is a quick summary of what GameSpy can do for you.
Multiple Game Support
Arcade now supports over 400 titles, so it scans your system for compatible games and lists them on a handy menu for you automatically. This saves time and makes it possible for you to move from one game, or mod, to another with minimal effort. It works with both dedicated server games, such as Counter-Strike and Battlefield 1942, as well as peer-to-peer games such as Medieval Total War and Age of Empires.
Player Tracking
This is probably GameSpy's strongest feature, as it greatly simplifies the process of organizing games with specific players. Getting into a game with your friends using to require a lot of searching, Instant Messaging, and exchanging of IP addresses. It worked, but it typically involved running several programs and was cumbersome to say the least. Arcade includes a system called PlayerSpy, which lets users create a "buddy list." Upon running GameSpy, you can see immediately which of you buddies are logged on, and what room they are in or game they are playing. You can join them simply by kicking on their name - a dream come true for online gamers.
Better Filters
Arcade has a variety of server filters that make finding a suitable game quicker, and are superior to what most games offer. I find that being able get a list of Counter-Strike servers that are in my country saves me the trouble of refreshing a list of almost 30,000 servers every time I want to find a game.
Screenshot of GameSpy Arcade
Chat and Instant Messaging
There are an abundance of ways to communicate in Arcade, including public chat rooms, private chat rooms, Instant Messaging, and even voice chat. It's very nice to be able to talk to your chess opponent, for example, as you play. Subscribers get enhanced voice capabilities and the ability to transfer files large than 1 MB.
Free Parlor Games
Even if you don't play high-end action games, Arcade is still worth the download for people that enjoy multiplayer games of Poker, Spades, Hearts, Backgammon, Chess, Checkers, Reversi and YARN.
Game News
I don't care much for Arcade's built-in mini-browser, which seems to like to stop working when a page is half loaded, but they do try to integrate the latest gaming news into the software. Some users will, however, find that this is all the gaming news they need or want.
Downloads
Through a partnership with FilePlanet, GameSpy offers downloads of the latest demos, mods, patches and other files. As these files get larger, it gets harder to find sites serving them up for free. FilePlanet still has free downloads, but you have to register, and then it can be a long wait depending on how busy their servers are.
Cons
It's difficult to complain about a program which offers a free package with ample functionality for unlimited use, not just a short trial period. Of course, if you choose not to subscribe, you will have to tolerate a considerable dose of advertising. Arcade runs large ads that come up before you reach any server lists or other content, making them nearly impossible to ignore, but again, nothing is small price to pay.
Another issue that will concern some gamers is that GameSpy does consume some system resources that the game you are playing might otherwise make use of. Although they have made every effort to minimize this problem, older systems may choke on the load.
Games like EverQuest, which charge monthly fees and run only on official servers, are not supported by GameSpy. You aren't able, for example, to use PlayerSpy to locate a buddy who is playing such a game.
Finally, Mac and Linux users are out of luck, Arcade is only available for Windows. A recent version of IE is also required.
GameSpy 3D
If you don't like Arcade, GameSpy still supports their original game utility, GameSpy 3D. It's a good program if you simply want to find a server to play on, but it lacks the communications features which make organizing with other players so convenient in Arcade.
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