Computer

Enjoy all your PC games in one place with Playnite

  • It can be extended with plugins written in .NET languages ​​or PowerShell scripts.
  • It is capable of calculating our playing time, for any game, including emulators.
  • It can be run from an external storage device without installation on the system.
  • Automatically download metadata for all games, including those that are custom, such as cover art, descriptions, and other information.
  • It has full screen mode.

Without a doubt, this is an application that can be very useful for all those who love video games in digital format.

Download playnite for free

Playnite is an app free and open source, which favors that the advances in its development are constant and on a regular basis we can enjoy improvements. We can download it from this link to its official website. None of the functions of this application are locked behind a paid option and the entire source code is available under the MIT license.

For the most suspicious or lovers of privacy, it should be noted that Playnite does not store any information about its users on remote servers, since all the information about our library is stored locally on our PC, so no one else can have access to it. Linking an account only saves the same amount of information as when we log into the related library or store through our web browser. Not on this, you can even install blue chip casino apk and have fun playing real entertainment games.

Link all platforms at startup

The installation of Playnite has no mystery, since it will only be necessary to double-click the PlayniteInstaller.exe file that we have previously downloaded so that it is installed automatically. Subsequently, an initial configuration poster will appear (in English), where through an assistant we can carry out a automatic import and configuration of our game libraryso we click on the Next button.

playnite setup 1

On the next screen we must choose the platforms that we want to add in this initial configuration. It should be remembered that, later, the games can be included manually, so it is not necessary that we put them all at first if we do not want to.

playnite setup 2

Now, in the new screen we see the option to import installed games, although we can also mark that others that we have acquired on the platform are added, even if they are not installed, something useful to organize our library, especially if it is extensive. We must also click on the Authenticate button to enter our credentials (users/email and password) so that you can access its content and, finally, click on Next.

playnite setup 3

Once we have finished the process with all the selected platforms, we only have to click on the button finish to close the window and access the application interface.

playnite setup 4

Its interface, that great attraction

Once our gaming platforms are linked, we can start using Playnite and that’s when the magic really happens. When executing it, its attractive graphical interface appears and at the same time all the games that we have on the different platforms that we have added are loaded, without clutter. Also, along with the metadata, it includes the genre, developer, publisher, release date, cover art, and more. It even tracks how long we’ve been playing our games.

The program is set to launch every time we boot up our PC, and even has a full screen mode that is used to replace Steam’s Big Picture mode. Just click on the game and then on the button Start to launch it, without further ado. This will make

playnite start game

It is possible to keep it updated by pressing F5, in this way it will be in charge of synchronizing the platforms that we have configured again so that the new games that we have added appear. Can change the appearance of how games are displayed from the tools located at the top of the interface. We can organize them in grid mode, in view mode, in alphabetical order, year of release, platform… the options are innumerable.

Playnite organize interface

We can also make a filtersomething that can be very useful if our library is really large, since it allows us to configure it so that only installed games are shown, or games not installed, games only from a specific platform are shown (Steam , Epic…), as well as by genre, developer… The configuration options are very extensive.

playnite filter games

add games

From the program’s own interface we can add a game both manually and automatically. Games can be manually added to the library by simply dragging and dropping them onto the interface. Another option is to click on the command-shaped icon in the upper left. This opens a dropdown menu where the first option we find is add gamebeing able to choose between the manual form.

playnite add game manually

Whether we want to add the game from here or by dragging and dropping it on its interface, a new window will appear from where we can edit all game details. The sections that we can configure are innumerable, so if we are lovers of customization we can leave them perfect to our liking. On the contrary, so many options can overwhelm other users. From the Installation tab we will have to find the .exe file with which the game runs so that we can launch it directly from the Playnite interface.

playnite edit game details

We also have the option of auto scan. In this case, the program does not show a window where clicking on the Detect installed button will carry out a scan and will show us all the applications and games installed on the system. We can also browse File Explorer or scan a folder. Once the game we want to add is marked, all that remains is to click on the Add games.

Playnite detect games automatically

Also emulators and retro games

Playnite is also compatible with retro games that run through emulators, so we can add them from the program’s interface. To do this, click on the command-shaped button and in the menu select the Library option and here we choose the option Configure emulators.

Playnite library and Configure emulators

This will open a new window from importing our emulators to the launcher. For this we must click on the button to import to load it directly. We can also add and configure it by entering its name, the folder where it is downloaded, specify the type of emulator it is, among other options.

playnite download emulators

Also, we find the button Download emulatorsin the lower right part from where it will show us a window where it will show us all the emulators that are compatible with Playnite, with their respective web pages from where they can be downloaded.

playnite compatible emulator list

Change its appearance with themes

Lovers of customization are in luck with Playnite, as its appearance can be completely configured. It is possible to introduce small color changes up to complete modifications of your design. To do this, you must access its configuration menu, by clicking on the command-shaped icon and then on its Setting. Here in the section general we have the possibility to change the theme that comes by default. Right next to it we have the sections to Get more themes and Create a new theme.

playnite install theme

And it is that from the Playnite forum itself we can have access to a wide variety of topics created by the community itself. From the posts themselves we can download the theme or directly install it so that it is applied directly without having to download it.

Add functionalities with your plugins

Another of the great features that we can find for Playnite is its compatibility with extensions with which to add new features. From the Playnite forum itself we will have access to different add-ons developed by the community, many of them hosted on their GitHub repositories.

playnite addons

To access this section we must press the command-shaped icon and select the section from the menu. Accessories. Here we can also find its own gallery of accessories, within the section of Surf and Generic we will have access to your plugin library. To add each one we need, just double-click or select it and click Save.

Alternatives to Playnite

In addition to this program, there are other alternatives, although not many, that allow us to centralize all our games in the same place to be able to access them easily.

LaunchBox

Especially dedicated to the organization of retro games. This program was created as a DosBox game launcher, but nowadays it has become one of the best retro game frontends, thanks to its complete database with information about games and consoles. In addition to allowing us to load our retro games, it will also allow us to import games from many other platforms, such as Steam. We can download it for free from the developer’s website.

pegasus

It is an application that performs the functions of a launcher from where you can explore our entire library of games from its graphic interface and run them from a single place. Especially focused on customization, cross-platform support, and high performance. With it we can have our games organized and start them more comfortably. It is free open source software that we can download from its official website.

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