IGDB (Internet Games Database)

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to IGDB (Internet Games Database)

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to IGDB (Internet Games Database).

IGDB is a game metadata service and API (owned by Twitch) that provides structured information — titles, platforms, release dates, genres, ratings, covers/artwork and related metadata — for powering game catalogs, discovery, and consumer or developer applications.

Alternatives List

#1
Gameyfin

Gameyfin

Gameyfin organizes your video game collection into a searchable web library with automatic scanning, metadata fetching, downloads, sharing, and optional SSO integration.

Gameyfin screenshot

Gameyfin is an open source, web-based application for organizing and browsing a video game collection. It scans your game folders, enriches entries with metadata and cover art, and presents everything in a fast, easy-to-navigate library you can access from any modern browser.

Key Features

  • Automatically scans and indexes game libraries from configured folders
  • Fetches metadata and cover images to enrich your catalog
  • Web UI for browsing your collection and downloading game files
  • Library sharing for friends and family
  • LAN-friendly caching to keep browsing fast on local networks (videos may still be fetched remotely)
  • Theme support, including colorblind-friendly options
  • Plugin system for extending functionality
  • Optional SSO integration via OAuth2 / OpenID Connect

Use Cases

  • Create a centralized catalog for a large local ROM/game archive
  • Share a curated game library with family or a small community
  • Run a lightweight, browser-accessible game library for a homelab

Limitations and Considerations

  • Metadata quality and matching depend on external metadata sources and file naming consistency
  • Persistence is based on an embedded H2 database by default, which may be less suitable for very large deployments

Gameyfin is a good fit for users who want a Jellyfin-like experience for game collections, with a clean UI, automatic library organization, and extensibility. It can run in a container or on any JVM-capable system and is designed to be simple and fast.

919stars
32forks
View Details
#2
Gaseous Server

Gaseous Server

Open-source .NET-based ROM and title manager that organizes ROMs, fetches metadata from external sources, and provides in-browser emulation.

Gaseous Server is an open-source server application for organizing and managing game ROM collections, providing title management, metadata lookup, and in-browser emulation of supported ROMs. It is implemented as an ASP.NET Core (.NET) application and is distributed with Docker Compose deployment artifacts. (github.com)

Key Features

  • ROM and title library management with import and signature matching for identification.
  • Built-in browser-based emulation (EmulatorJS) to run supported ROMs from the web UI.
  • Metadata retrieval from external sources (IGDB and others) with optional Hasheous proxy support for hashed lookups.
  • Background tasks such as library scanning and metadata/signature refresh.
  • User authentication and account support added in later releases (noted since v1.7.0).
  • Container-friendly deployment with Docker Compose and CI automation for builds.

Use Cases

  • Personal retro game library: organize and browse large ROM collections with metadata and cover art.
  • Lightweight in-browser play: run supported games directly from a home server via the integrated emulator.
  • Metadata enrichment and archival: use signature imports and external metadata sources to catalog ROM collections.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Database migration between MySQL and MariaDB may require rebuilding the database due to earlier MySQL-specific schema choices; re-import via library scan may be needed. (github.com)
  • IGDB access requires an API key unless you use a proxy service; offline metadata workflows depend on available signature DATs and the Hasheous project.
  • The project maintainers recommend caution when exposing the server directly to the internet; use VPN or other secure access methods if remote exposure is required. (github.com)

Gaseous Server is a focused tool for retro gaming enthusiasts who want a web-accessible, metadata-rich ROM management system with integrated emulation. Its .NET-based architecture and container deployment make it suitable for home servers and small self-hosted environments.

800stars
33forks
View Details

Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running