AllGame FAQs
How many games are in your database?
At
the time of this writing there are over 31,000 games, but that number increases
on a weekly basis.
How do your
ratings work?
Please refer to our
Rating Scale page.
How do I send
you a correction or addition to your database?
Corrections
or additions to the AllGame should be sent via the
Corrections/Additions form. Please include sufficient details so we can verify your
submission. If in doubt as to how much detail to include, more is usually better.
What games
do you cover?
The
AllGame covers all console and handheld games released in the United
States. Similarly, we cover many arcade games, particularly those released
in home versions. We cover most PC games released in the United States,
including some downloadable games.
Do you cover
games for Palm and Pocket PC devices?
Yes.
As far as we know, we were the first site to attempt to comprehensively
cover commercially available games of this type.
Do you cover
online games?
Yes,
we cover subscription-based, persistent world games that have an ESRB rating.
What is the
scope of subjects covered in your database?
We
include all types of subjects, from religious-oriented games to games that
are exclusively for adults. Adult products are identified by their ESRB
rating, where available, and by their genre and style classification.
Do you cover
people, companies, and game characters?
Yes,
although our coverage in this area is secondary to coverage of the games
themselves. We have some biographical or similar data on over 19,000 people,
companies, and game characters.
What
types of data do you collect on each game?
There are ten
basic formal data elements for each game. In addition to these basic data
elements, we also collect a wide range of other data about each game.
The ten basic formal data elements are:
Title
Release date
Country
Publisher
Developer
Platform
Genre
Style
Number of
players
ESRB rating
(if any)
How do you
decide which games get written descriptions?
While
our long-term goal is to have a written description for every entry, the
reality of producing a database is that we must prioritize. Our first priority
is console games, followed by major PC games. After that we try to cover
anything not previously mentioned that is currently available. When time
and information permits, we try to cover older, out of print games.
How do you
decide which games get written reviews?
Pretty
much the same way we do the descriptions, but since 2001 we have combined
the review into the description. Prior to that point, some games recevied
both a review and a description.
Who writes
your descriptions and reviews?
Some
of our descriptions and reviews are written by the AllGame full-time
editorial staff,but most are written for us by off-site freelancers.
Why are some
descriptions and reviews credited to the AllGame?
Usually
we use this to denote brief, informational writing, but on longer pieces
it may indicate that multiple editors contributed to the work. Also, there
are some older entries in the database where we have no record of the author.
Do you offer
Cheats and Codes, or help with solving the specifics of a game?
No.
Even though we built a place to store cheats and codes into our website,
we have not yet developed this feature.
What are
the ESRB ratings?
Please
be advised that the ESRB rating icons, "EC", "K-A", "E", "T", "M", "AO"
and "RP" are copyrighted works and certification marks owned by the Interactive
Digital Software Association and the Entertainment Software Rating Board
and may only be used with their permission and authority. Under no circumstances
may the rating icons be self-applied or used in connection with any product
that has not been rated by the ESRB. For information regarding whether a
product has been rated by the ESRB, please call the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772
or visit www.esrb.org. For information
regarding licensing issues, please call the IDSA at (212)223-8936.
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