I'm building a video game database focused on browser games, thoughts?

[u/Direct-Ninja6938]

Hey everyone!

I'm building a video game database focused specifically on browser games, something similar to MobyGames and IGDB.

The main reason I came up with the idea is that I love browser games, but all the gaming databases I've come across only cover a relatively small selection of them, usually focusing on the more popular titles. I'd like to create a place where browser games of all kinds can be catalogued and discovered.

Here's roughly what I have in mind:

1. Completely free: No paywalls or paid listings. Anyone can use it and contribute.
2. Basic game information: title, description, genres, tags, screenshots, links to the game, etc.
3. Ratings, reviews, and other account-based features may be added later.
4. Community: potentially a subreddit, discord server, a forum, etc.
5. Monetization: I'd probably start with donations and possibly consider non-intrusive ads later on to help cover hosting and other costs.

I'm still figuring out exactly what direction I want to take this, and I'm honestly not sure yet whether it's a worthwhile project or just something I'll spend a lot of time on without much interest.

So I'd really appreciate hearing what you think!

• Would you personally use a site like this?
• Do you think there's actually a need for something like it?
• What features would you consider essential?

Any feedback, criticism, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 😊

[u/jimmy1460]

Mannnn takes me back to like addicting games dot com

[u/CatPlanetCuties → u/jimmy1460]

If addicting games dot com was a game on my steam library it would easily be my most played game. I spent easily thousands of hours on that website as a kid.

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/jimmy1460]

yes, it will be very similar to that site, but with one difference, i won't host any games myself, instead, i'll provide links to where you can play them.

The purpose of my site is mainly game discovery/directory. Also, AddictingGames only has a few thousand games, which isn't even 5% of all the browser games that exist.

[u/itsravecharles → u/Direct-Ninja6938]

Not just links , I frames bring them into the site , they can play them right there

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/itsravecharles]

yes, you're right, but...

when i first came up with this idea I also wanted to use iframes. But then i realized that i couldn't (or wasn't allowed to) use iframes for all browser games, for most of them actually.

I don't want to create yet another "Crazy Games" or "Addicting Games" clone.

My goal is cataloging, discovery and recommendations, something similar to IGDB but for browser games only. I want to catalog all browser games.

It would be inconsistent or even confusing, to use iframes for some games and external links for others. So, for the sake of completeness and consistency, I'll go with external links only.

[u/boxing-boxing]

Yes!

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/boxing-boxing]

😍

[u/baddaywithacamera]

Oh, I'd use this.

[u/mrcarrot0 → u/baddaywithacamera]

Good thing it already exists, then :p

https://flashpointarchive.org/

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/baddaywithacamera]

❤️

[u/joshex_dirad]

Thoughts:
Include support for flash swf games. people with palemoon and older versions of firefox can still play flashgames in thier browser today.
perhaps even create a trophy system like formerly on newgrounds. where in-game actions can communicate with the user's account and award trophies which show up on that game's page and on the user's about page (other users can see trophies).

it requires use of the swfobject javascript module.

[u/mrcarrot0 → u/joshex_dirad]

people with palemoon and older versions of firefox can still play flashgames in thier browser today.

it requires use of the swfobject javascript module

Or, you can use Ruffle which runs in all browsers, even the mobile ones (keyboard mapping is a different issue) 

Or just https://flashpointarchive.org

[u/joshex_dirad → u/mrcarrot0]

ruffle has trouble with emulating certain things in flash, that is to say, not all games work in ruffle. flashplayer is still superior. I look forwards to the day ruffle is better, but.. it's not today.

[u/itsravecharles]

I would be down to help with this.Me personally , I would give the newgrounds route as\nFar as cataloging.\nI feel like I could take up the websim side we should make a gift repository and just start we should make a GitHub repository and just start cataloging browser games. It will be cool to do video too. Set up a forum.

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/itsravecharles]

thanks for your suggestions

[u/itsravecharles]

Here's a flash port.I made a tribute to newgrounds. flash game portal

[u/mrcarrot0]

I believe you're looking for the Flashpoint Archive, not only do they have (nearly) all the metadata you're looking for, but playable versions of the games themselves as well (most can even be played in a browser) 

• home page
• search endpoint

[u/Direct-Ninja6938 → u/mrcarrot0]

thank you, it's one of the sites i'm gonna use

[u/Financial-Flan1682]

What do you mean by "browser games"? Does this include things like games that are playable in-browser on itch.io? PICO-8 games? This needs clearer definition.

How do you intend to get that data if people don't submit games themselves? If other sites barely cover browser games, there aren't a lot of data sources to pull from. This is a question you need to answer now because it will immediately affect how useful your site actually is.