Video game meta-data (supplement for Steam API)

Question

Steam offers a REST-like API (details here and here) enabling a registered developer to obtain informations on its users (games owned, time passed on each...). However, I didn't find useful informations on the games themselves.

As a consequence, I'm looking for a database/API having some of the following informations on games:

• the name (quite obviously)
• type of game (like fps, str and so on)
• details on multiplayer (maximum number of players, if LAN/local game is possible)
• metacritic score
• year of release

I could get all these informations on Steam using some HTML parser, but that's highly inconvenient. Are there better solutions?

Answer 1

There is an unofficial API for metacritic which can provide most of the data you request. You'll have to register.

Here is an example cURL request of the 'find game' endpoint:

curl --include --request GET 'https://byroredux-metacritic.p.mashape.com/details?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metacritic.com%2Fgame%2Fplaystation-3%2Fthe-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim' --header "X-Mashape-Authorization: <mashape-key>"

To loop over all desired games, you'll have to pass this type query for each game URL at metacritic. Creating that list of URLs may be a small project in itself (although at least they are logical).

That gives a JSON output:

{
  "result": {
    "name": "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim",
    "score": "92",
    "rlsdate": "2011-11-11",
    "genre": "Role-Playing",
    "rating": "M",
    "platform": "PlayStation 3",
    "publisher": "Bethesda Softworks",
    "developer": "Bethesda Game Studios",
    "url": "http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim"
  }
}

To get more than one result per query, you'll have to construct some clever searches using the 'search games' endpoint.

They provide code for common languages (i.e. python), so you can perhaps use search to get and store multiple games.

Answer 2

• igdb.com ---> API

Internet Game Database, IGDB.com is a website about video games, intended for both game consumers and video game professionals alike. One of the principles behind IGDB.com is accessibility of data. They wish to share the data with anyone who wants to build cool videogame oriented websites, apps and services.