In personal computer games, a spawn installation is an installed copy of a game that may only be used to play in

multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...

mode, or otherwise limits the amount of

single-player A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usually ...

content accessible to the user. Additionally, some spawn implementations only allow the user to join games hosted by the installer's

cd-key A product key, also known as a software key, serial key or activation key, is a specific software-based key for a computer program. It certifies that the copy of the program is original. Product keys consist of a series of numbers and/or letter ...

. There are several purposes for a spawn installation, including but not limited to creating added value by allowing the owner of the game to experience the multiplayer mode with friends and demonstrating the game to more potential buyers. A similar concept (for example, in some ''

Command & Conquer ''Command & Conquer'' (''C&C'') is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game franchise, first developed by Westwood Studios. The first game was one of the earliest of the RTS genre, itself based on Westwood Studios' influential strategy game '' Du ...

'' games) is the use of multiple game discs. Each disc contains a discrete portion of the game, such as an individual campaign. Sharing a disc with a friend allows both the owner and the friend to experience the full content of each respective disc, but not at the same time. In contrast with spawn installations, the disadvantage to the multiple-disc approach was that the game could only be shared among as many people as there were discs, while spawn installations could be used on any number of systems. This concept is very similar to the single-card-multiplayer "Download Play" option that some

Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in t ...

games offer (such as

Super Mario 64 DS ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a 2004 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was a launch game for the DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game ''Super Mario 64,'' with new graphics, chara ...

). The difference here, however, is that a spawn installation is installed on the system like a normal program, whereas the Nintendo DS only keeps its downloaded copy in memory while it is powered on.

Games with spawn installation

*''

Carmageddon ''Carmageddon'' is a vehicular combat video game released for personal computers in 1997. It was produced by Stainless Games and published by Interplay Productions and Sales Curve Interactive. It was later ported to other platforms, and spa ...

'' *'' Joint Strike Fighter'' - Innerloop *'' Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit'' -

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the ...

*'' Diablo'' - Blizzard Entertainment *'' Diablo II'' - Blizzard Entertainment *''

StarCraft ''StarCraft'' is a military science fiction media franchise created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney and owned by Blizzard Entertainment. The series, set in the beginning of the 26th century, centers on a galactic struggle for dominance a ...

'' - Blizzard Entertainment *'' StarCraft II'' - Blizzard Entertainment *'' Warcraft: Orcs & Humans'' - Blizzard Entertainment *'' Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness'' - Blizzard Entertainment *''

Earth 2150 ''Earth 2150'', also known as ''Earth 2150: Escape from the Blue Planet'', is a real-time strategy game, originally published in 2000 by SSI and Polish developer Reality Pump and a sequel to '' Earth 2140''. 2150 was one of the first commercial ...

'' -

Reality Pump TopWare Interactive – AC Enterprises e.K. is a German video game publisher based in Karlsruhe. The company is best known for publishing the '' Two Worlds'' series developed by its Reality Pump Studios division. History TopWare Interactiv ...

*''

Total Annihilation ''Total Annihilation'' is a real-time strategy video game created by Cavedog Entertainment, a sub-division of Humongous Entertainment, and was released on September 26, 1997 by GT Interactive for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Two expansion pack ...

'' -

Cavedog Entertainment Cavedog Entertainment was a PC game developer and publisher based in Bothell, Washington. Founded in 1995 as a division of edutainment game developer Humongous Entertainment, Cavedog was known for the 1997 release of ''Total Annihilation''� ...

*'' Disciples: Sacred Lands'' - Strategy First *'' Enemy Territory: Quake Wars'' - id Software *'' Halo Custom Edition - Gearbox Software *'' Dr. Mario Online Rx'' -

Nintendo is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade playing cards ...

*''

Age of Empires ''Age of Empires'' is a series of historical real-time strategy video games, originally developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. The first game was '' Age of Empires'', released in 1997. Nine total games within the se ...

'' -

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washi ...

*'' Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome'' -

*'' Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings'' -

*'' Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion'' -

*''

Heroes of Might and Magic II ''Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars '' is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published in 1996 by the 3DO Company. The game is the second installment of the ''Heroes of ...

'' - The 3DO Company *'' Heroes of Might and Magic III'' - The 3DO Company *'' Gruntz'' -

Monolith Productions Monolith Productions, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Kirkland, Washington. The company has been a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment since August 2004. History Monolith Productions was founded on October ...

*'' Wolfenstein: Youngblood'' -

Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks LLC is an American video game publisher based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was founded by Christopher Weaver in 1986 as a division of Media Technology Limited, and in 1999 became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media. In ...

References

Video game development Video game distribution {{Videogame-software-stub