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Game Detection
GameAtlas automatically discovers installed games from supported launchers and installation sources, then combines them into a unified library.
The goal is to reduce the need to manually browse multiple launchers or remember where individual games are installed.
Game detection behavior varies by operating system because Windows and Linux use different launchers, filesystem layouts, compatibility layers, and installation metadata.
When GameAtlas scans your system, it checks supported game sources for locally installed titles.
Depending on the platform, GameAtlas may collect information such as:
- Game title
- Installation path
- Executable path
- Launcher or source
- Local version information
- Game-specific metadata
- Available integrations
- Runtime or compatibility context
Detected games are then added to the GameAtlas library.
For the current launcher list, see Supported Launchers.
On Windows, GameAtlas can detect games installed through supported sources including:
- Steam
- Epic Games Launcher
- GOG Galaxy
- Ubisoft Connect
- EA App
- Xbox / Microsoft Store
GameAtlas uses locally available launcher metadata, registry information, installation manifests, filesystem paths, and other platform-specific data where appropriate.
The exact detection method depends on the launcher.
Steam game detection uses the local Steam installation and Steam library configuration.
GameAtlas can detect games stored in:
- The default Steam library
- Additional Steam library folders
- Secondary drives
- Custom Steam library locations
This allows games installed outside the default Steam directory to appear automatically.
On Linux, Steam detection also covers Windows games installed through Proton.
On Windows, GameAtlas can detect installed games managed by the Epic Games Launcher.
GameAtlas reads locally available installation information and adds supported Epic titles to the unified library.
GameAtlas can detect games installed through GOG Galaxy on Windows.
Supported GOG installations are treated as normal local game installations and appear alongside games from other sources.
Games installed through Ubisoft Connect can be detected on Windows.
GameAtlas uses available Ubisoft installation information to determine the local game location and add the title to the library.
GameAtlas supports automatic detection of installed games managed through the EA App.
Detected EA titles appear in the same unified library as games from other supported launchers.
GameAtlas can detect supported Xbox and Microsoft Store games on Windows.
Microsoft Store installations are different from traditional desktop game installations, so some titles may expose less local information than games installed through Steam, GOG, or other conventional launchers.
For example, executable paths, version details, or file access may vary depending on how the game is packaged.
On Linux, GameAtlas supports common Linux gaming environments including:
- Steam
- Heroic Games Launcher
- Lutris
- Native Linux game installations
GameAtlas can also encounter Windows games running through compatibility layers such as:
- Proton
- Wine
The compatibility layer itself is not necessarily the installation source. GameAtlas generally discovers these games through the launcher managing them.
GameAtlas scans Steam library locations and installed application metadata.
This includes:
- Native Linux games
- Windows games using Proton
- Games stored in secondary Steam libraries
- Games installed on additional drives
Where available, GameAtlas can retain information about the local installation and runtime context.
GameAtlas supports games installed through Heroic Games Launcher.
Heroic is commonly used to manage games from services such as:
- Epic Games
- GOG
GameAtlas detects the local Heroic-managed installation rather than requiring the original Windows launcher to exist.
GameAtlas supports game detection from Lutris.
Because Lutris can manage a wide variety of game sources and runtimes, a detected Lutris game may use:
- Wine
- Proton
- Native Linux runtimes
- Custom runners
- Standalone installers
GameAtlas uses the locally available Lutris configuration and installation data to identify supported games.
GameAtlas can also support native Linux game installations where appropriate.
These may include games that do not require Proton or Wine and may not originate from a Windows-focused launcher.
If a game cannot be detected automatically, GameAtlas supports manually adding it to the library.
Manual additions are useful for:
- Standalone games
- Portable games
- Games installed from physical media
- Games using unsupported launchers
- Custom or unusual installation layouts
- Fan games
- Source ports
- Emulators or custom executables
- Games that have been moved away from their original launcher location
A manually added game can still participate in supported GameAtlas features when enough local information is available.
Consider manually adding a game if:
- The game does not appear after a rescan
- Its launcher is not currently supported
- It was installed without a launcher
- The executable is stored in a custom location
- Launcher metadata is missing or damaged
- The installation has been manually moved
Before adding a duplicate manually, it is usually worth confirming that automatic detection has completed successfully.
GameAtlas can rescan supported sources to refresh the library.
A rescan is useful after:
- Installing a new game
- Uninstalling a game
- Moving a game
- Adding a new Steam library
- Connecting another game drive
- Installing a supported launcher
- Changing Heroic or Lutris installations
- Restoring a game from backup
- Changing launcher metadata
Rescanning allows GameAtlas to compare the current system state with its existing library.
GameAtlas is designed to support game libraries spread across multiple storage devices.
Examples include:
- A Steam library on
C: - Another Steam library on
D: - Large games stored on a separate SSD
- Linux Steam libraries mounted on additional drives
- Heroic or Lutris installations stored outside the user's home directory
As long as the launcher exposes the installation and GameAtlas can access the path, the game can generally be detected.
The same game may be installed more than once.
Examples include:
- Steam and GOG copies of the same game
- Separate Windows and Linux-native installations
- Multiple Steam libraries
- A Heroic installation and a Lutris installation
- Separate editions of the same title
GameAtlas attempts to preserve the installation source so users can distinguish between separate copies.
A duplicate-looking entry does not always mean detection has failed. It may represent a legitimate second installation.
Where possible, GameAtlas identifies the executable associated with a detected game.
Executable information can be used by other features such as:
- Version detection
- Game information
- Launch-related diagnostics
- Save and configuration workflows
- Modding integrations
- Performance tools
Some games contain several executables, launchers, anti-cheat programs, or helper processes.
In those cases, GameAtlas may need to determine which executable is most relevant to the game itself.
For supported installations, GameAtlas can inspect local game information to determine a version number.
Version availability depends on how the game stores version metadata.
A version may come from sources such as:
- Executable metadata
- Launcher metadata
- Local manifests
- Installed package information
Not every title exposes a useful version number.
Detected games are associated with their installation source where possible.
This helps GameAtlas distinguish between installations from sources such as:
Steam
Epic Games
GOG
Ubisoft Connect
EA App
Xbox
Heroic
Lutris
Manual