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GameRanger
DeveloperScott Kevill
Stable release
4.9 / Mac (May 29, 2008; 18 years ago (2008-05-29)), Windows (November 13, 2008; 17 years ago (2008-11-13))
Operating systemMac OS, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11
TypeServer-matching / IRC application
Websitewww.gameranger.com

GameRanger is software for the Macintosh and Windows created by Australian developer Scott Kevill, which provides matchmaking for online games, as well as social features such as text chat rooms and voice chat. It was first released for the Macintosh in July 1999 and was given the "Best Internet Gaming Achievement" by Macworld Magazine.[1] Windows support was added in 2008 and it currently supports over 700 titles.[2]

Overview

[edit]

The software and service is maintained and managed by Scott Kevill.[3] In addition to acting as a metaserver and browser for servers, lobbies, ranking, statistics, and invitations, the service also acts as a chat platform.[4]

Gameranger evolved from Kevill's prior experience writing QuakeFinder and UnrealFinder, Mac exclusive server browsers for Quake and Unreal respectively, as well as other tools such as his Quiver level editor for Quake.[5]

After GameSpy Arcade went offline, GameRanger announced that it would support games supported by GameSpy, eased by GameRanger's preexisting ability to interface with GameSpy's servers during their years of operation.[6]

List of supported games

[edit]
1
  • 101st: Airborne in Normandy
A
  • Act of War: Direct Action
  • Act of War: Direct Action Demo
  • Act of War: High Treason
  • Act of War: High Treason Demo
  • Against Rome
  • Age of Empires
  • Age of Empires Demo
  • Age of Empires II: Age of Chivalry
  • Age of Empires II: Forgotten Empires
  • Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
  • Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Demo
  • Age of Empires II: The Conquerors
  • Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Demo
  • Age of Empires III
  • Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties
  • Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
  • Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome
  • Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome Demo
  • Age of Mythology
  • Age of Mythology: The Titans Expansion
  • Age of Sail II
  • Age of Wonders
  • Age of Wonders - Shadow Magic
  • Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne
  • Alexander
  • Alexander Demo
  • Aliens vs Predator
  • Aliens vs Predator 2
  • American Conquest
  • American Conquest 2nd Demo
  • American Conquest Demo
  • American Conquest: Divided Nation
  • American Conquest: Fight Back
  • Ancient Conquest: The Golden Fleece
  • Ancient Conquest: The Golden Fleece Demo
  • Ancient Wars: Sparta
  • Anno 1404: Venice
  • Anno 1701
  • Ants
  • Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura
  • Armies of Exigo
  • Armies of Exigo Demo
  • Army Men
  • Army Men II
  • Army Men RTS
  • Army Men: Air Tactics
  • Army Men: Toys in Space
  • Army Men: World War
  • Arsenal of Democracy
  • Austerlitz: Napoleon's Greatest Victory
  • Axis & Allies
  • Axis & Allies RTS
  • Axis & Allies RTS Demo
  • Axis & Allies: Iron Blitz
B
  • Baldur's Gate
  • Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
  • Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal
  • Bandits: Phoenix Rising
  • Bandits: Phoenix Rising Demo
  • Bang! Gunship Elite
  • Bang! Gunship Elite Demo
  • Battle Isle: The Andosia War
  • Battle Isle: The Andosia War Demo
  • Battle Mages
  • Battle Mages Demo
  • Battle Mages: Sign of Darkness
  • Battle Realms
  • Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf
  • Battlefield 1942
  • Battlefield 1942 Demo
  • Battlefield 1942: Desert Combat
  • Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII
  • Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII Demo
  • Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome
  • Battlefield 2
  • Battlefield 2 Demo
  • Battlefield 2142
  • Battlefield 2: Special Forces
  • Battlefield Vietnam
  • Battlestations: Midway
  • Battlestations: Midway Demo
  • Battlezone II: Combat Commander
  • Besieger
  • Blitzkrieg
  • Blitzkrieg: Rolling Thunder
  • Borderlands
  • Borderlands 2
C
  • Call of Duty
  • Call of Duty 2
  • Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  • Call of Duty: United Offensive
  • Call of Juarez
  • Call of Juarez Demo
  • Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
  • Capitalism II
  • Captain Claw
  • Carmageddon TDR2000
  • CART Precision Racing
  • CART Precision Racing Demo
  • Celtic Kings: Rage of War
  • Celtic Kings: Rage of War Demo
  • Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
  • Civilization II Gold
  • Civilization III: Conquests
  • Civilization III: Play the World
  • Civilization IV
  • Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
  • Civilization IV: Colonization
  • Civilization IV: Fall from Heaven II
  • Civilization IV: Warlords
  • Close Combat
  • Close Combat Demo
  • Close Combat II
  • Close Combat II Demo
  • Close Combat III
  • Close Combat III Demo
  • Close Combat IV
  • Close Combat IV Demo
  • Close Combat: Cross of Iron
  • Close Combat: Invasion Normandy
  • Close Combat: Invasion Normandy Demo
  • Close Combat: Last Stand Arnhem
  • Close Combat: Modern Tactics
  • Close Combat: The Longest Day
  • Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein
  • Clue: Murder at Boddy Mansion
  • Codename Panzers: Phase One
  • Codename Panzers: Phase One Demo
  • Codename Panzers: Phase Two
  • Codename Panzers: Phase Two Demo
  • Colin McRae Rally 04
  • Colin McRae Rally 04 Demo
  • Colin McRae Rally 2005
  • Colin McRae Rally 2005 Demo
  • Combat Flight Simulator
  • Combat Flight Simulator 3
  • Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
  • Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
  • Command & Conquer Generals
  • Command & Conquer Generals: ShockWave
  • Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
  • Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge
  • Commandos 2: Men of Courage
  • Commandos 3: Destination Berlin
  • Company of Heroes
  • Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
  • Conquest: Frontier Wars
  • Conquest: Frontier Wars Demo
  • Cossacks II: Battle for Europe
  • Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars
  • Cossacks: Back to War
  • Cossacks: European Wars
  • Cossacks: European Wars 2nd Demo
  • Cossacks: European Wars Demo
  • Cossacks: The Art of War
  • Cossacks: The Art of War Demo
  • Crimson Skies
  • Crimson Skies Demo
  • Crusader Kings
  • Crusader Kings: Deus Vult
  • Crusaders: Thy Kingdom Come
D
  • Darkest Hour
  • DarkPlanet: Battle for Natrolis
  • DarkPlanet: Battle for Natrolis Demo
  • Darkstone
  • Dawn of War
  • Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
  • Dawn of War: Soulstorm
  • Dawn of War: Winter Assault
  • Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater
  • Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater Demo
  • Deer Hunter 2004
  • Deer Hunter 2004 Demo
  • Deer Hunter 2005
  • Deer Hunter 2005 Demo
  • Delta Force
  • Delta Force 2
  • Delta Force: Black Hawk Down
  • Delta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre
  • Delta Force: Land Warrior
  • Delta Force: Task Force Dagge
  • Demigod
  • Descent 3
  • Descent 3: Mercenary
  • Desert Rats vs Afrika Korps
  • Desert Rats vs Afrika Korps Demo
  • Diablo
  • Diablo II
  • Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
  • Die by the Sword
  • Die by the Sword: Limb from Limb
  • Disciples II
  • Disciples II: Rise of the Elves
  • Disciples: Sacred Land
  • Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3
  • Dominions II: The Ascension Wars
  • Doom 3
  • Dragon Throne: Battle of Red Cliffs
  • Dragonshard
  • Dukes of Hazzard: Racing for Home
  • Dune 2000
  • Dungeon Keeper 2
  • Dungeon Keeper 2 Demo
  • Dungeon Lords
  • Dungeon Siege
  • Dungeon Siege Demo
  • Dungeon Siege II
  • Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
  • Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
E
  • Earth 2150: Escape from the Blue Planet
  • Earth 2150: Lost Souls
  • Earth 2150: The Moon Project
  • Earth 2150: The Moon Project Demo
  • Earth 2160
  • Elite Warriors: Vietnam
  • Elite Warriors: Vietnam Demo
  • Emperor: Battle for Dune
  • Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
  • Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom Demo
  • Empire Earth
  • Empire Earth 2.0
  • Empire Earth II
  • Empire Earth II Demo
  • Empire Earth II: The Art of Supremacy
  • Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest
  • Empires: Dawn of the Modern World
  • Empires: Dawn of the Modern World Demo
  • Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
  • Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Demo
  • Etherlords
  • Etherlords Demo
  • Etherlords II
  • Etherlords II Demo
  • Europa Universalis: Rome
  • European Air War
  • Evolva
  • Evolva Demo
F
  • Faces of War
  • Fair Strike
  • Fair Strike Demo
  • Fallout Tactics
  • Fallout Tactics Demo
  • Fantasy Wars
  • Fate of the Dragon
  • Fate of the Dragon Demo
  • FIFA 07
  • FIFA 08
  • FIFA 09
  • FIFA 10
  • FIFA 11
  • Final Days
  • Final Days Demo
  • FlatOut
  • FlatOut 2
  • Flight Simulator 2004
  • Flight Simulator 98
  • Flying Heroes
  • For the Glory
  • Forsaken
  • Freedom Force
  • Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich
  • Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich Demo
  • FutureCop: L.A.P.D.
G
  • Gangsters 2: Vendetta
  • Get Medieval
  • Ghost Recon
  • Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
  • Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
  • Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Demo
  • Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Demo
  • Ghost Recon Demo
  • Ghost Recon: Desert Siege
  • Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
  • Giants: Citizen Kabuto
  • Greed: Black Border
  • GRID
  • Ground Control
  • Ground Control II: Operation Exodus
  • Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy
  • Gruntz
  • Gruntz Demo
H
  • Haegemonia: Legions of Iron
  • Haegemonia: Legions of Iron Demo
  • Haegemonia: The Solon Heritage
  • Halo: Combat Evolved
  • Halo: Combat Evolved Demo
  • Halo: Custom Edition
  • Hard Truck Tycoon
  • Harley-Davidson 2: Wheels of Freedom
  • Harley-Davidson: Race Around the World
  • Hearts of Iron
  • Hearts of Iron II
  • Hearts of Iron II: Armageddon
  • Hearts of Iron II: Doomsday
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Heretic II
  • Heretic II Demo
  • Heroes of Annihilated Empires
  • Heroes of Annihilated Empires Demo
  • Heroes of Might & Magic II
  • Heroes of Might & Magic III
  • Heroes of Might & Magic III: Armageddon's Blade
  • Heroes of Might & Magic IV
  • Heroes of Might & Magic IV: The Gathering Storm
  • Heroes of Might & Magic IV: Winds of War
  • Heroes of Might & Magic V
  • Heroes of Might & Magic V: Hammers of Fate
  • Heroes of Might & Magic V: Tribes of the East
  • Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe
  • Highland Warriors
  • Homeworld
  • Homeworld 2
  • Homeworld 2 Demo
  • Homeworld: Cataclysm
  • Homeworld: Raider Retreat
  • Hot Wheels: Stunt Track Challenge
I
  • Icewind Dale
  • Icewind Dale II
  • Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
  • Imperial Glory
  • Imperialism
  • Imperialism II: The Age of Exploration
  • Imperivm III: Great Battles of Rome
  • Impossible Creatures
  • Impossible Creatures: Creature Chaos
  • Impossible Creatures: Insect Invasion
  • Insane
  • Insane Demo
J
  • Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge
  • Jane's Attack Squadron
  • Jane's F-15
  • Jane's F/A-18
  • Jane's Fleet Command
  • Jane's IAF: Israeli Air Force
  • Jane's USAF: United States Air Force
  • Jane's WWII Fighters
  • Jedi Academy
  • Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
  • Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
  • Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II Demo
  • Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
  • Joint Operations: Escalation
  • Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising
  • Joint Task Force
  • Judge Dredd: Dredd vs Death
K
  • Kingpin: Life of Crime
  • Knights & Merchants: The Peasants Rebellion
  • Knights & Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom
  • Knights of Honor
  • Knights of Honor Demo
  • Kohan II: Kings of War
  • Kohan II: Kings of War Demo
  • Kohan: Ahriman's Gift
  • Kohan: Ahriman's Gift Demo
  • Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns
  • Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns Demo
L
  • Line of Sight: Vietnam
  • Line of Sight: Vietnam Demo
  • Links 2001
  • Links 2001 Demo
  • Links 2003
  • Links 2003 Demo
  • Links LS 2000
  • Links LS 2000 Demo
  • Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader
  • Lords of Magic: Special Edition
  • Lords of the Realm II
  • Lords of the Realm II Demo
  • Lords of the Realm III
M
  • Machines: Wired for War
  • Machines: Wired for War Demo
  • Majesty
  • Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim
  • Majesty: The Northern Expansion
  • Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
  • Master of Orion III
  • Master Rallye
  • MechCommander
  • MechCommander 2
  • MechCommander Gold
  • MechWarrior 3
  • MechWarrior 3 Demo
  • MechWarrior 3: Pirate's Moon
  • MechWarrior 4: Black Knight
  • MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries
  • MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries Demo
  • MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
  • Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
  • Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Demo
  • Medal of Honor: Breakthrough
  • Medal of Honor: Breakthrough Demo
  • Medal of Honor: Spearhead
  • Medal of Honor: Spearhead Demo
  • Medieval II: Total War
  • Medieval II: Total War: Americas
  • Medieval II: Total War: Britannia
  • Medieval II: Total War: Crusades
  • Medieval II: Total War: Teutonic
  • Medieval: Total War
  • Medieval: Total War: Viking Invasion
  • Men of War
  • Men of War: Assault Squad
  • Men of War: Condemned Heroes
  • Men of War: Vietnam
  • Merchant Prince II
  • Metal Fatigue
  • Midnight Outlaw Nitro Edition
  • Midnight Outlaw Nitro Edition Demo
  • Midtown Madness
  • Midtown Madness 2
  • Midtown Madness 2 Demo
  • Midtown Madness Demo
  • Mig Alley
  • Monopoly 3
  • Monopoly Star Wars
  • Monopoly Tycoon
  • Monster Truck Madness 2
  • Monster Truck Madness 2 Demo
  • Motocross Madness
  • Motocross Madness 2
  • Motocross Madness 2 Demo
  • Motocross Madness Demo
  • Motocross Mania
  • Motocross Mania Demo
  • MotoGP 2
  • MotoGP 2 Demo
  • MotoGP URT 3
  • MotoGP URT 3 Demo
  • MTX MotoTrax
N
  • Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
  • Need for Speed: High Stakes
  • Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted
  • Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
  • Need for Speed: Shift
  • Need for Speed: Underground 2
  • Nemesis of the Roman Empire
  • Nemesis of the Roman Empire Demo
  • Neverwinter Nights
  • Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark
  • Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker
  • Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide
  • Nox
  • Nox Demo
O
  • Operation Blockade
  • Operation Blockade Demo
  • Operation Flashpoint
  • Operation Flashpoint Demo
  • Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
  • Operation Flashpoint: Resistance
  • Order of War
  • Original War
  • Outlaws
  • Outlaws Demo
  • Outlive
  • Outlive Demo
  • Outwars
P
  • Painkiller
  • Painkiller Demo
  • Painkiller: Battle Out of Hell
  • Panzer General II
  • ParaWorld
  • ParaWorld Demo
  • Parkan: Iron Strategy
  • Patrician II: Quest for Power
  • Patrician III: Rise of the Hanse
  • People's General
  • Perimeter
  • Perimeter Demo
  • Perimeter: Emperor's Testament
  • Perimeter: Emperor's Testament Demo
  • PGA Championship Golf 2000
  • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
  • Populous: The Beginning
  • Populous: The Beginning Demo
  • Praetorians
  • Praetorians Demo
  • Prey
  • Prey Demo
  • Privateer's Bounty: Age of Sail II
  • Project Eden
  • Project Nomads
Q
  • Quake
  • Quake 4
  • Quake 4 Demo
  • Quake II
  • Quake II Demo
  • Quake III Arena
  • Quake III Arena Demo
  • Quake III: Team Arena
  • Quake III: Team Arena Demo
  • QuakeWorld
R
  • Race Driver
  • Race Driver Demo
  • Rage of Mages II: Necromancer
  • Railroad Tycoon 3
  • Rainbow Six
  • Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword
  • Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield
  • Rainbow Six: Eagle Watch
  • Rainbow Six: Lockdown
  • Rainbow Six: Take-Down
  • Rainbow Six: Vegas
  • Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
  • Rally Championship Xtreme
  • Re-Volt
  • Reach for the Stars
  • Real War
  • Real War: Rogue States
  • Real War: Rogue States Demo
  • Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War
  • Rise of Nations
  • Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
  • Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots
  • Rising Kingdoms
  • Rising Kingdoms Demo
  • Risk
  • Risk II
  • Robot Arena 2
  • Rogue Spea
  • Rogue Spear Demo
  • Rogue Spear: Black Thorn
  • Rogue Spear: Black Thorn Demo
  • Rogue Spear: Covert Ops Essential
  • Rogue Spear: Urban Operations
  • Rome: Total War
  • Rome: Total War: Alexander
  • Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion
  • Rush for Berlin
  • Rush for Berlin Demo
  • Rush for Berlin: Rush for the Bomb
S
  • S.W.I.N.E.
  • S.W.I.N.E. Demo
  • Sacrifice
  • Sango 2
  • Sango 2 Demo
  • Serious Sam
  • Serious Sam 2
  • Serious Sam 2 Demo
  • Serious Sam Demo
  • Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
  • Serious Sam: The Second Encounter Demo
  • Seven Kingdoms
  • Seven Kingdoms 2 HD
  • Seven Kingdoms II: The Fryhtan Wars
  • Seven Kingdoms II: The Fryhtan Wars Demo
  • Seven Kingdoms: Ancient Adversaries
  • Seven Kingdoms: Conquest
  • Shadow Company: Left for Dead
  • Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire
  • Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
  • Sid Meier's Antietam!
  • Sid Meier's Gettysburg!
  • Sid Meier's Railroads!
  • Silent Hunter II
  • SiN
  • SiN Demo
  • Sins of a Solar Empire
  • Sniper Elite
  • Soldiers of Anarchy
  • Soldiers of Anarchy Demo
  • Soldiers: Heroes of World War II
  • Spartan
  • Spartan Demo
  • SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm
  • SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars
  • SpellForce: Shadow of the Phoenix
  • SpellForce: The Breath of Winter
  • SpellForce: The Order of Dawn
  • SpellForce: The Order of Dawn Demo
  • Star Trek: Armada
  • Star Trek: Armada II
  • Star Trek: Armada II Demo
  • Star Trek: Birth of the Federation
  • Star Trek: Legacy
  • Star Trek: New Worlds
  • Star Wars Battlefront
  • Star Wars Battlefront II
  • Star Wars Clone Campaigns
  • Star Wars Empire at War
  • Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
  • Star Wars Force Commander
  • Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds
  • Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds Demo
  • Star Wars Rebellion
  • Star Wars Republic Commando
  • Starcraft
  • Starcraft: Brood War
  • Starfleet Command II: Empires at War
  • Starfleet Command II: Empires at War Demo
  • Starfleet Command III
  • Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates
  • StarLancer
  • Starsiege
  • StarTopia
  • Stronghold
  • Stronghold 2
  • Stronghold Demo
  • Stronghold Legends
  • Stronghold: Crusader
  • Stronghold: Crusader Demo
  • Stronghold: Crusader Extreme
  • Sub Command: Seawolf
  • Submarine Titans
  • Submarine Titans Demo
  • Sudden Strike
  • Sudden Strike - Resource War
  • Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory
  • Sudden Strike Forever
  • Sudden Strike II
  • SunAge
  • SuperPower 2
  • Supreme Commander
  • Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
  • Supreme Ruler 1936
  • Supreme Ruler 2010
  • Supreme Ruler 2010 Demo
  • Supreme Ruler 2020
  • Supreme Ruler 2020: Global Crisis
  • Supreme Ruler Ultimate
  • Supreme Ruler: Cold War
  • SWAT 4
  • SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate
  • Sword of the Stars
  • Sword of the Stars Demo
  • Sword of the Stars: A Murder of Crows
  • Sword of the Stars: Argos Naval Yard
  • Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood
  • Sword of the Stars: Collector's Edition Demo
T
  • Tales of the Sword Coast
  • Terraria
  • The Art of Magic
  • The Art of Magic Demo
  • The Battle for Middle-earth
  • The Battle for Middle-earth II
  • The Entente: World War I Battlefields
  • The Fate of Hellas
  • The Golden Horde
  • The Guild 2
  • The Guild 2: Pirates of the European Seas
  • The Political Machine 2004
  • The Rise of the Witch-king
  • The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
  • The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary: Vikings
  • The Settlers III
  • The Settlers III Demo
  • The Settlers III: Mission CD
  • The Settlers III: Quest of the Amazons
  • The Settlers III: Quest of the Amazons Demo
  • The Settlers IV
  • The Settlers IV: Mission CD
  • The Settlers IV: The New World
  • The Settlers IV: The Trojans and the Elixir of Power
  • The Settlers: Heritage of Kings
  • The Settlers: Heritage of Kings Demo
  • The Settlers: Heritage of Kings: Expansion
  • The Settlers: Heritage of Kings: Legends
  • The Settlers: Rise of an Empire
  • The Settlers: Rise of an Empire: The Eastern Realm
  • The Sum of All Fears
  • The Sum of All Fears Demo
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
  • Titan Quest
  • Titan Quest: Immortal Throne
  • Top Spin
  • Torchlight II
  • Total Annihilation
  • Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics
  • Total Annihilation: Kingdoms
  • Total Annihilation: Kingdoms: The Iron Plague
  • Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency
  • True Crime: Streets of L.A.
  • Tzar: The Burden of the Crown
  • Tzar: The Burden of the Crown Demo
U
  • Uprising: Join or Die
  • Urban Assault
  • Urban Assault Demo
V
  • Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun
  • Victoria: Revolutions
  • Vietcong
  • Vietcong 2
  • Vietcong Dem
  • Vietcong: Fist Alpha
  • Vietcong: Fist Alpha Demo
  • Virtual Pool 3
W
  • Wages of SiN
  • War Front: Turning Point
  • War Front: Turning Point Demo
  • Warcraft III: Defense of the Ancients
  • Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
  • Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
  • Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior
  • Warhammer: Dark Omen
  • Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
  • Warhammer: Mark of Chaos Demo
  • Warhammer: Mark of Chaos: Battle March
  • Warlords Battlecry
  • Warlords Battlecry II
  • Warlords Battlecry II
  • Warlords Battlecry II Demo
  • Warlords III: Darklords Rising
  • Warlords III: Darklords Rising Demo
  • Warlords III: Reign of Heroes
  • Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria
  • Warrior Kings
  • Warrior Kings: Battles
  • Warzone 2100
  • Warzone 2100 Demo
  • Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Battle
  • World in Conflict
  • World in Conflict: Soviet Assault
  • Worms 2
  • Worms 3D
  • Worms 4: Mayhem
  • Worms 4: Mayhem Demo
  • Worms World Party
  • Worms: Armageddon
  • Worms: Armageddon Demo
  • WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs Tiger
X
  • X-Wing Alliance
  • X-Wing vs TIE Fighter
  • X-Wing vs TIE Fighter: Balance of Power
Y
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Joey the Passion

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

GameRanger

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
GameRanger is a free software application for Mac and PC that enables online multiplayer gameplay for over 700 games and demos, connecting players with friends and opponents worldwide.[1] Developed by Australian programmer Scott Kevill, GameRanger was initially launched in 1999 exclusively for Macintosh computers before expanding to Windows platforms in 2008.[1] Based in Perth, Australia, it has operated as the longest-running multiplayer online gaming service, providing a dedicated matchmaking platform for titles that often lack official online support.[1] Key features include user profiles, friends lists, instant messaging, in-game voice chat, and competitive ladders with rankings and ratings to foster community engagement and skill-based matchmaking.[1] The service supports a wide array of classic and modern PC games, emphasizing peer-to-peer connections to revive multiplayer experiences for older titles.[1]

History

Founding and Early Development

GameRanger was founded by Australian developer Scott Kevill, who began its development in 1997 to provide a dedicated solution for online multiplayer gaming on the Macintosh platform. At the time, many Mac games lacked built-in support for internet-based multiplayer, leaving users reliant on fragmented or nonexistent tools for connecting with others. Kevill's initiative addressed this gap by creating a centralized matchmaking service tailored specifically for Mac users, marking an early effort to unify the fragmented online gaming experience in the late 1990s.[2][3] The service evolved from Kevill's prior projects, QuakeFinder and UnrealFinder, which were Macintosh-exclusive server browsers designed to help players locate and join multiplayer sessions in the specific titles Quake and Unreal. These tools demonstrated Kevill's expertise in navigating the technical challenges of online connections for Mac hardware, but GameRanger expanded this concept into a broader platform supporting multiple games through a unified interface. The first public release occurred on July 12, 1999, initially supporting 11 popular Mac titles and quickly gaining traction among the community.[3][4] GameRanger's early design emphasized simplicity, focusing on peer-to-peer connections to minimize setup complexity and reliance on dedicated servers, which was particularly beneficial for the resource-constrained Macintosh systems of the era. This approach allowed users to easily host and join games without advanced networking knowledge, fostering accessibility in an environment where broadband was emerging but not ubiquitous. By late 1999, the service had amassed over 14,000 registered members, reflecting strong early adoption within the Mac gaming community. In recognition of its impact, GameRanger received the "Best Internet Gaming Achievement" award from Macworld Magazine in their 1999 Hall of Fame.[5][6]

Expansion and Key Milestones

GameRanger expanded its platform significantly in 2008 by adding support for Windows, transitioning from a Mac-exclusive service to a cross-platform solution that dramatically increased its user base and accessibility for PC gamers.[1] This move, launched in November 2008 with initial support for over 500 games, addressed growing demand for multiplayer matchmaking on Windows systems including XP, Vista, and 7, enabling broader adoption among PC users.[7] Key milestones marked the service's growth in the late 2000s. In July 2009, GameRanger celebrated its 10-year anniversary since its 1999 founding, highlighting its evolution from supporting 11 Mac games to over 540 PC titles and 181 Mac games at the time, with Age of Empires II noted as the most consistently played title.[8] Later that year, on October 29, 2009, the addition of Borderlands brought the total supported games to 600, a rapid expansion within one year of the Windows launch that solidified GameRanger's position as a leading independent multiplayer service.[7] The 2014 shutdown of GameSpy's servers posed a major threat to online play for numerous legacy titles, but GameRanger responded swiftly by integrating support for many affected games, preserving multiplayer functionality where official services ended.[9] This included additions such as Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, the Medal of Honor series, Serious Sam games, Stronghold 2, the Halo: Combat Evolved series, and Star Wars: Battlefront II, often in collaboration with publishers like EA and Ubisoft to facilitate seamless transitions.[10] Further growth involved official developer integrations to enhance compatibility. In June 2010, Headup Games updated GREED: Black Border to include native multiplayer matchmaking via GameRanger, allowing direct lobby access without third-party workarounds.[10] By the 2020s, the service had surpassed 700 supported titles, reaching 726 PC games by 2025, reflecting sustained expansion amid evolving gaming ecosystems.[11] In 2025, GameRanger experienced periodic server outages, including a widespread disruption in April, amid community concerns over long-term maintenance, though the service continued to operate.[12][13]

Features

Matchmaking and Gameplay Support

GameRanger employs a peer-to-peer matchmaking system that enables users to create or join game rooms for multiplayer sessions, facilitating direct connections between players while handling network traversal issues such as NAT through techniques like UPnP and port forwarding.[5] This setup supports rooms accommodating up to 16-32 players, varying by the specific game title's inherent multiplayer capacity, allowing for scalable sessions in titles originally designed for LAN play.[11] Users host games by selecting "Host Game" from the interface, setting parameters like passwords or player limits, while joining involves browsing active rooms and clicking "Join Game," with visual indicators like green dots denoting ongoing matches.[14] The platform provides automatic game detection upon installation linkage, scanning for supported titles on the user's system, and seamlessly launches the game executable when a host initiates play, bypassing the need for the original game's defunct online infrastructure.[14] This direct play mechanism emulates a local network environment over the internet, ensuring compatibility with legacy multiplayer games that lack native online support, such as those from the early 2000s.[1] Cross-platform multiplayer is available for select titles, enabling Windows and macOS users to participate in the same sessions; for instance, Battlefield 1942 and various Call of Duty entries support this interoperability, provided all participants have compatible versions installed.[15] In games like StarCraft, GameRanger accommodates mods and custom maps by simulating LAN conditions, where players can load shared modifications during room setup, provided all joiners possess identical files. Additionally, it features built-in ranking and statistics tracking for competitive play, including ladders that monitor metrics such as wins, losses, and rating points in real time for supported titles.[16] Since its launch in 1999, GameRanger has operated as a free service, requiring no subscriptions for core matchmaking and gameplay features, with optional premium tiers offering enhancements like ad removal but not essential for participation.[1] This model has sustained its role in reviving online play for over 720 legacy games as of 2024.[11][17]

Social and Communication Tools

GameRanger integrates text and voice chat functionalities directly within its lobbies and gameplay environments, enabling players to engage in group conversations seamlessly during matches or while waiting in rooms. Text chat supports real-time messaging in game lobbies and dedicated chat rooms, while voice communication, introduced in 2003 for premium members, allows users to transmit audio without requiring external software or complex setup, including automatic team channels and customizable output options for supported titles.[18][1] The platform's friend list feature, added in 2000 as part of GameRanger 2.0, permits users to maintain customizable lists of up to 500 contacts depending on membership tier, displaying real-time status updates such as online availability, current games, or chat activity to facilitate easy coordination of play sessions. Buddy notifications alert users when friends come online or join games, while private messaging—available as instant messaging—enables direct, one-on-one communication for organizing private matches or casual discussions, with enhanced privacy controls to manage incoming messages.[19][20] GameRanger offers both public and private rooms for social interaction, including global chat rooms for broad community discussions and game-specific lobbies that can be password-protected to restrict access and ensure privacy among invited players. Premium members gain access to exclusive chat rooms and the ability to host their own, fostering dedicated spaces for ongoing conversations beyond matchmaking.[20] Profile customization enhances community engagement by allowing users to personalize their presence with custom 16x16 icons (avatars) and expanded profile details, including stats displays from competitive ladders, rankings, and ratings earned across supported games. These elements encourage social connections by showcasing player achievements and preferences, with basic profiles available to all users and advanced options for premium subscribers.[1][20]

Supported Games

Overview of Supported Titles

GameRanger supports an extensive library of over 700 games as of 2025, with 726 titles available for PC and a subset of 199 for Mac, focusing primarily on multiplayer experiences for older PC and Mac games from the 1990s and 2000s that no longer receive official online support from their developers.[21][22] This preservation effort includes not only full releases but also demos and expansions, such as the Act of War: Direct Action Demo, enabling continued community play for titles abandoned by original servers.[21] The supported titles are organized alphabetically on the official GameRanger website for easy reference, allowing users to search by name and discover compatibility details like maximum player counts—often ranging from 8 to 16 players depending on the game—and support for custom mods in select titles.[21] This structure highlights the platform's commitment to reviving legacy multiplayer, where genres span classic strategy, first-person shooters (FPS), real-time strategy (RTS), and racing/sports simulations. Strategy Games form a cornerstone of GameRanger's library, encompassing turn-based and grand strategy titles like Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Civilization IV, and Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, which typically support up to 8 players and often allow modded maps for enhanced replayability.[21] These games emphasize tactical depth and long-term planning, drawing from the era's iconic series that defined the genre. First-Person Shooters (FPS) are well-represented with fast-paced arena and campaign multiplayer modes, including Quake III Arena, Call of Duty 2, and Halo: Combat Evolved, accommodating 16-player lobbies and community mods for custom weapons and levels.[21] GameRanger's integration revives deathmatch and team-based formats from these early 2000s staples, which lost official matchmaking after server shutdowns. Real-Time Strategy (RTS) titles, a specialized subset of strategy, include seminal works such as StarCraft, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, supporting 8-12 players in base-building and skirmish modes, with robust mod support for user-created campaigns and units.[21] These games underscore GameRanger's role in sustaining competitive esports roots from the late 1990s. Racing and Sports offerings cater to vehicular and athletic simulations, featuring examples like Need for Speed: Underground 2, Colin McRae Rally 2005, and FIFA 09, which enable 4-8 player races or matches and occasionally incorporate modded tracks or teams.[21] This category preserves the social, competitive driving and team sports experiences from the 2000s, free from original online infrastructure dependencies.

Recent Additions and Updates

Following the shutdown of GameSpy's multiplayer services in May 2014, GameRanger rapidly expanded its library by migrating support for over 100 titles previously reliant on GameSpy, ensuring continued online play for legacy games such as Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, and Battlefield Vietnam.[10][23] This migration included integration with platforms like EA's Origin store, allowing users to host and join matches seamlessly across retail and digital versions.[10] In the late 2000s and early 2010s, GameRanger announced support for high-profile titles to bolster its co-op and competitive offerings, including Borderlands in October 2009 as its 600th supported game, enabling cross-platform multiplayer between PC and Mac users by October 2010.[7][10] Borderlands 2 followed in October 2012, providing dedicated matchmaking for its cooperative gameplay.[10] Similarly, official support for GREED: Black Border was added in June 2010 through an update by publisher Headup Games, facilitating multiplayer matchmaking in its science-fiction action-RPG setting.[10] The last new game addition was Monopoly: Star Wars in July 2017, after which the library has remained stable with ongoing maintenance for existing titles as of November 2025.[10] These updates reflect GameRanger's adaptability, supporting over 700 titles overall while addressing compatibility issues for re-releases and modern OS environments.[24] Users can request new game support by posting in the official discussion forums or directly contacting developers and publishers to express interest in GameRanger integration, a process that has driven many additions through community and industry collaboration.[24][25]

Technical Aspects

System Requirements and Compatibility

GameRanger is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit architectures on supported operating systems.[17] It does not support mobile devices, consoles, or Linux distributions natively, focusing exclusively on desktop environments.[24] For macOS users, compatibility is limited to Intel-based systems running up to macOS 10.11 El Capitan, with macOS 10.4 Tiger as the minimum; GameRanger is a 32-bit application, which is not supported on macOS 10.15 Catalina and later. For Apple Silicon Macs, the Windows version of GameRanger can be run using virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop to install and use Windows.[10][24][26] The minimum hardware requirements include at least 512 MB of RAM and a broadband internet connection with stable latency, sufficient for hosting or joining multiplayer sessions without significant performance issues on modest systems.[27] On the software side, GameRanger integrates seamlessly with games sourced from platforms like Steam and GOG, as well as original installers, by launching the executable directly through its interface; users often employ Windows compatibility modes, such as XP emulation in Windows 10 or 11, to run legacy titles from the 1990s and 2000s.[28][29] Downloading GameRanger is free via the official installer from the developer's website, which supports Windows from XP through 11.[14][17] The application, at version 4.9 since its last major release in 2008, has received minor updates for macOS compatibility up to 2016 but no major updates since. It remains functional as of November 2025.[30][10]

Networking and Server Operations

GameRanger utilizes a hybrid networking architecture, where central servers handle matchmaking, lobby management, and initial connection facilitation, while actual gameplay data is exchanged through peer-to-peer (P2P) connections between players to minimize latency and bandwidth usage on the servers.[31][5] This P2P model relies on techniques such as NAT traversal and hole punching to establish direct links, often using protocols like STUN for compatibility across different network types.[31] However, users frequently encounter connectivity challenges due to restrictive NAT configurations (e.g., symmetric or port-restricted cone NAT) and firewall settings that block incoming connections.[5] To resolve these issues, GameRanger supports Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) for automatic router configuration, allowing the client to request necessary port openings without manual intervention.[5] Where UPnP is unavailable or ineffective, manual port forwarding of UDP port 16000 is recommended to enable reliable P2P sessions.[5][32] Server operations are monitored via an official status page at gameranger.com/status, which provides updates on maintenance, restarts, and downtime.[33] Historical records indicate occasional outages due to datacenter network issues or hardware upgrades, with recovery typically occurring within minutes to hours following diagnosis.[33] Regarding security, GameRanger requires users to create an account with an email address for access, but maintains a lightweight profile system with limited personal data collection to reduce privacy risks.[14] The service facilitates P2P connections without exposing player IPs during matchmaking, indirectly aiding in DDoS mitigation by limiting direct exposure until game sessions begin.[31]
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