# IGDB Global Gaming Database MCP MCP > IGDB Global Gaming Database MCP provides immediate access to massive video game metadata. This connector lets your AI agent audit titles, track franchises, and pull technical data on platforms, genres, and age ratings across thousands of games. It's the definitive source for gaming intelligence, helping you build robust catalogs or conduct market research without manual searching. ## Overview - **Category:** artificial-intelligence - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** game-metadata, video-games, industry-taxonomy, franchise-auditing, release-dates, gaming-intelligence ## Description Need to figure out what a game is really about? This MCP gives your AI client deep insight into video game metadata that would otherwise require hours of cross-referencing dozens of industry websites. You can ask it to audit everything—from the official genre tags and thematic keywords to the precise age ratings used in different countries, like ESRB or PEGI. If you're working on a catalog, running market research, or just building a personal game history, this connector acts as an instant gaming historian. It lets your agent search for titles, retrieve summaries, pull high-quality artwork, and map out the entire history of a franchise in one go. With Vinkius managing the connection, you don't worry about API keys or data formatting; you just ask your AI client what you need, and it gets structured answers back. ## Tools ### get_artworks Retrieves official visual art assets, like covers, for a specific game title. ### get_franchise Gets detailed background information and related titles for an entire game series or franchise. ### get_game Pulls the full, deep metadata record for a single video game ID. ### list_age_ratings Lists all common content age ratings used globally (like ESRB or PEGI). ### list_collections Gets details and members of a specific game series, collection, or spin-off. ### list_genres Provides the official list of recognized gaming genres available in the database (e.g., RPG, Shooter). ### list_keywords Lists common descriptive tags that developers use to categorize games. ### list_platforms Provides a comprehensive list of gaming hardware and software platforms (e.g., PS5, Xbox). ### list_release_dates Retrieves the known release dates for specific video games. ### list_themes Lists common thematic elements found within gaming titles (e.g., fantasy, sci-fi). ### search_covers Finds and retrieves the primary cover art for a game title. ### search_games Performs broad searches across all video games in the database based on general criteria. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Search for the game 'Elden Ring' and provide its community rating and summary. ``` **Response:** ``` I've fetched Elden Ring's metadata. It has an exceptional community rating of 94% and is described as an action RPG developed by FromSoftware. Would you like to see the full list of platforms it was released on? ``` **Prompt:** ``` What are the official age ratings for 'Grand Theft Auto V' globally? ``` **Response:** ``` Running the rating query... I've retrieved the data for GTA V. It is rated 'M' by ESRB in North America and '18' by PEGI in Europe due to intense violence and mature content. Would you like the specific content descriptors for these ratings? ``` **Prompt:** ``` List all games included in 'The Witcher' franchise. ``` **Response:** ``` Inspecting the franchise timeline... The Witcher series includes the three main RPG titles, the Gwent spin-off, and several expansions. Notable GIDs include 1942 for the original and 492 for Wild Hunt. Would you like the summaries for each entry? ``` ## Capabilities ### Search for games Find specific video game titles and retrieve their core details like summaries and initial release dates. ### Audit franchise history Pull detailed information on entire game series or collections, showing how they relate to each other. ### Identify industry categories Query the official list of genres, platforms (like PS5 or PC), and thematic keywords used by developers. ### Check content safety standards Retrieve age ratings and content descriptors to verify the maturity level across global regions. ### Gather visual assets Fetch official cover art, high-quality artwork, and franchise logos for any given title. ## Use Cases ### Validating regional content standards A global publisher needs to know if a new title is cleared for release in Europe and Asia. They ask the agent to 'Compare the age ratings of Title X across North America, Europe, and Japan.' The MCP uses `list_age_ratings` to provide a side-by-side comparison, instantly flagging any region where content descriptors are missing or too restrictive. ### Mapping out an entire series' IP A collector wants a definitive list of every game in the 'Witcher' universe. They ask to 'List all games related to The Witcher franchise.' The agent uses `get_franchise` and `list_collections` to pull not just the main titles, but also spin-offs and expansions, providing a complete IP map. ### Competitive genre analysis A game developer wants to know which niche genres are currently popular. They prompt: 'What are the top 5 most common RPGs in titles that also have themes of cyberpunk?' The agent combines `list_genres` with `search_games` and `list_themes` to give targeted market insights. ### Cataloging for a museum exhibit An archivist needs metadata (summary, art, release date) for 20 different classic games. Instead of manually visiting 20 sites, they ask the agent to 'Get full details and artwork for these ten specific game IDs.' The MCP runs `get_game` multiple times, aggregating all necessary data points. ## Benefits - Stop manual cross-referencing. Instead of checking multiple sites for a game's details, you can get the full record using `get_game` in one prompt. - Understand industry boundaries fast. Use `list_genres`, `list_platforms`, and `list_themes` to see all official categories without guessing what tags developers use. - Verify global compliance easily. You don't have to look up ESRB, PEGI, or other ratings separately; the MCP can list them using `list_age_ratings` and apply them across titles. - Build out complex histories automatically. Instead of manually tracking a series, you use `get_franchise` and `list_collections` to map out every game in a line-up. - Gather assets instantly. Need art for a catalog? You can pull the high-quality cover images using `search_covers` or get detailed artwork with `get_artworks`, saving image downloads. ## How It Works The bottom line is you talk to your AI client like talking to a teammate; it handles all the messy data retrieval in the background. 1. First, subscribe to this MCP on Vinkius and enter your unique IGDB Client ID and Access Token. 2. Next, prompt your AI client with a natural language query, asking it to find specific data points about a game or franchise. 3. Finally, the MCP processes the request using its internal tools, pulling structured metadata (like genre lists or art assets) back into your conversation. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find all the platforms a specific game was released on using get_game?** The agent automatically includes platform availability when you query `get_game`. You just need to ask for the full details of the title, and it'll list every supported hardware. **What is the difference between searching games and using search_games?** `search_games` is for broad keyword searches across all titles. If you know a specific game ID or want complete metadata, use `get_game` instead to pull everything. **Can I check the age ratings for multiple games at once with list_age_ratings?** You can query the common age rating systems using `list_age_ratings`, which shows you all the possible regional standards (ESRB, PEGI) so you know what to look out for. **Does get_franchise help me list every related title?** Yes. Running `get_franchise` on a main title gives you the full context and links to all spin-offs or collections associated with that intellectual property. **How do I check which types of genres or platforms are available using list_genres or list_platforms?** You run `list_genres` or `list_platforms` to get the full vocabulary. This tells your agent what categories exist before you try to search for a specific game. It's essential for filtering results accurately. **What should I do if I use an invalid ID when calling get_game?** The system will return an error code indicating the ID doesn't exist. You need to verify that specific game ID in your source material before running the query. Don't assume a title is live. **What’s the difference between using list_collections and get_franchise?** `get_franchise` gives details about an entire IP line, while `list_collections` focuses on grouping related titles or series. Use collections when you need to map out a specific publishing run. **If I use search_games many times in quick succession, will there be rate limits?** Yes, all external APIs enforce usage limits for performance. You should build retry logic into your agent's workflow to handle potential request throttling gracefully.