Source transparency
How game data works
CoopCouch combines a saved Steam catalog with selected IGDB facts. The two sources answer different questions, remain distinguishable, and can both be incomplete. This page explains what the public catalog can safely say.
The two main sources
Steam catalog data
Steam supplies the AppID, title, store artwork, release label, co-op categories, popular tags, US price and discount information, and store review signals used by the public index. CoopCouch saves normalized catalog snapshots in Cloudflare D1 so browse pages can be filtered and rendered without making a new Steam request for every visitor.
IGDB enrichment
IGDB can add a matched game record, cover fallback, first-release information, game type, developer and publisher names, and multiplayer-mode rows tied to an IGDB platform ID. Automatic mapping uses exact external identifiers, including a Steam identity, rather than a title-only guess.
Steam remains the storefront reference. IGDB enrichment is stored separately, so a source refresh does not silently overwrite the canonical Steam identity. A game can appear without IGDB enrichment when there is no safe match or no imported record.
Why co-op labels need context
A general “Co-op” category does not by itself establish online play, shared-screen play, a minimum group size, controller support, or crossplay. “Online Co-op” and “Shared/Split Screen Co-op” are more specific Steam categories, but they still do not answer every setup question.
IGDB multiplayer rows can describe online co-op, offline co-op, LAN, split screen, drop-in play, or a co-op campaign. Each row stays attached to its source platform because the answer or player limit can differ between Windows, consoles, and other releases.
What the saved values mean
- Yes or No
- An IGDB platform row explicitly supplied true or false for that capability.
- Unknown
- The source omitted the field, no valid platform row is saved, or the answer cannot be established from the available source.
- Online or offline co-op max
- A source-provided maximum for that co-op mode and platform. It is not a minimum player requirement or a guaranteed limit on every platform.
- Online or offline player max
- A broader multiplayer maximum from the source row. It is retained separately from the co-op-specific maximum.
Unknown is not the same as No
CoopCouch preserves the difference between an explicit “No” and a missing answer. It does not infer a player count from screenshots, assume that a feature on one platform exists on every platform, or turn a generic co-op tag into a crossplay claim. Crossplay is not currently a verified public catalog fact, so the site leaves it unavailable instead of guessing.
Freshness, prices, and availability
Catalog and enrichment imports run separately. A record can therefore lag behind a source change or temporarily lack one source. Prices and discounts are scoped to the US Steam storefront and shown in USD. Regional availability, bundles, taxes, ownership rules, and live purchase terms can differ, so verify the current product page on Steam before buying.
Corrections and questions
CoopCouch does not yet have a public per-game correction form. If a saved value appears wrong, include the Steam store link, the affected platform, the field in question, and a reliable source when you email:
info@coop-couch.comIndependent service
CoopCouch is not affiliated with Valve. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks of Valve Corporation. Games metadata is powered by IGDB.com; provider names and marks belong to their respective owners.