Josties Game Launcher

1. Create a SteamGridDB API key

Create this key before you install the launcher. During setup you can paste it right away, so artwork downloads are ready from the first run.

1. Go to https://www.steamgriddb.com.
2. Sign in or create an account.
3. Open Profile Preferences - API.
4. Create or copy your personal API key.
5. Keep the key temporarily, for example in a password manager or temporary text file.

Do not share this key publicly. After installation, the launcher stores it locally in your Windows profile so you do not have to enter it every time.

2. Download and install

1. Go to https://josties.nl.
2. Choose Download setup.
3. Start GameLauncherSetup.exe.
4. Approve the Windows admin prompt if it appears.
5. Choose whether you want desktop and Start menu shortcuts.
6. Paste your SteamGridDB API key into the API key field.
7. Choose Install.

The launcher is installed to C:\Program Files\Josties Game Launcher by default.

3. First launch

On startup, the launcher loads your existing library first. Then it scans in the background for games from the enabled importers.

It can find titles from Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, Battle.net, Xbox, EA, Playnite, shortcuts and manually added games.

4. Choose settings and importers

1. Choose Settings, or press LB + X with a controller.
2. Enable the platforms you want to use.
3. Use D-pad to move, A to toggle, Start to save and B to cancel.
4. Choose Scan games to rebuild the library.

The EXE scan can find many extra files. Enable it only when games are missing and cannot be found through launchers or shortcuts.

Enable Playnite uninstalled library when you want the launcher to read not-installed games from your local Playnite library. Installed games still come from their normal launcher scans to avoid duplicate titles.

5. Use game details

Select a game and press A or Start to open the details screen. Details gives you one place to launch the game, install or open the launcher for uninstalled games, open the trailer, open the local game folder, fix artwork and hide or restore the title.

6. Show and install uninstalled games

1. Open Settings.
2. Enable Show uninstalled launcher games.
3. Enable Playnite uninstalled library if you want to include not-installed Playnite games.
4. Choose Scan games.
5. Select an uninstalled game and open Details.
6. Choose Install / open launcher.

Steam, Epic and Xbox links can start the install flow directly where Windows and the launcher support it. Playnite entries open Playnite for the selected game where possible. Other launchers open the matching game or launcher page when possible.

7. Add or repair artwork

Use Refresh art to fill metadata and artwork for the library. Use Fix art on a selected game when the automatic match is wrong or you want to choose different artwork.

If SteamGridDB cannot find a good match, use the match selection flow to adjust the title. If you did not enter an API key during installation, the launcher will ask for it when you refresh or repair artwork.

8. Add, hide and restore games

Choose Add game to manually add an .exe, .lnk or .url.

Choose Hide title to remove a title from the normal library. Choose Hidden to view hidden titles. In that view, the button becomes Unhide title, which restores the game. You can also restore a hidden game from its details screen.

9. Search, recent mode and trailers

Type in the search field to filter the list immediately. Use Recent to sort games by last played. For games with trailer data, you can open the trailer fullscreen.

With a controller you can move through the list, open details, launch games, search, scan, open settings, repair artwork and hide or restore titles.

10. Automatic updates and What's new

The launcher checks at startup whether a new version is available through the update manifest.

If an update is available, the launcher asks whether you want to install it. After approval, it downloads the installer, verifies the SHA-256 hash, closes itself, installs the update and starts the launcher again.

Windows may ask for administrator approval because the app is installed in Program Files.

After a successful update, the app shows a What's new window once for that version. It lists the main changes and short usage notes for new features.

11. Troubleshooting

No games are found

Check the importers and run Scan games again.

Artwork stays empty

Check whether your SteamGridDB API key is saved, then try Refresh art.

A game will not launch

Add it manually with Add game and choose the correct executable or shortcut.

A hidden game is gone

Choose Hidden, select the game and choose Unhide title.