It what was perhaps a surprise move, IGN announced today that they had acquired What They Play, a website tagged as the “parents guide to video games”.

What They Play was founded by Ira Becker and former OPM/EGM editor-in-chief, John Davison and seeks to educate parents on video games to help them make informed decisions when buying them for their kids. The site has received recognition from the likes of The Today Show, CBS Early Show, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Reuters, The Assosciate Press, NPR, USA Today, and Newsweek, and also received a gold Parents Choice Award in 2009.

More after the Jump.

Peer Schneider, Publisher and SVP of Content for IGN Entertainment, was quoted as saying, “As videogames become a mainstream form of entertainment, offering insight about game content that helps parents make informed decisions about what games are appropriate will be a useful service. We are excited to welcome What They Play into the IGN fold.”

“This project has been a labor of love for us, and we are immensely proud to see the brand we created together two years ago become part of the IGN Entertainment network,” said President and Co-founder of What They Play, John Davison. “As gaming continues to expand into new markets with next generation platforms, immersive online gaming experiences and ever more impressive iPhone titles, this will allow the site to reach even more parents and families in need of this information.”

While some may view the purchase with worry for the future of What They Play – or more specifically what this means for Davison’s continued affiliation with 1up and its podcasts – we here at CFD! wish the best to all involved and hope that this means a brighter tomorrow for one of our favorite sites.

[Via: IGN]