Template:Infobox video game/doc

This is an infobox for video games. It is capable of pulling reliably sourced values from Wikidata when fields are omitted. (See WP:VG/WD for a guide to editing Wikidata.) To prevent Wikidata from pulling data for a field, use the parameter in the template but leave its contents blank.

Usage

{{Infobox video game
| collapsible   = 
| state         = 
| italic title  = 
| title         = 
| image         = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| developer     = 
| publisher     = 
| series        = 
| engine        = 
| platforms     = 
| released      = 
| genre         = 
| modes         = 
| arcade system = 
}}

Add the following credit fields for lead developers who worked on the game (please read inclusion notes below):

{{Infobox video games
| director   = 
| producer   = 
| designer   = 
| programmer = 
| artist     = 
| writer     = 
| composer   = 
}}

All fields are optional. See talk page for examples and standards.

Full syntax

{{Infobox video game
| collapsible   = 
| state         = 
| italic title  = 
| title         = 
| image         = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| developer     = 
| publisher     = 
| series        = 
| engine        = 
| platforms     = 
| released      = 
| genre         = 
| modes         = 
| arcade system = 
| director      = 
| producer      = 
| designer      = 
| programmer    = 
| artist        = 
| writer        = 
| composer      = 
}}

Parameters

Note: In the following, plurals such as "developers", "publishers", "artists", etc., do not exclude the singular (i.e. "artists", for example, implies "artist or artists"). Similarly, with the credit fields, individual development tasks for one field (e.g. which artists designed characters and which designed concept art; or which writers created story lines and which wrote scripts) should not be mentioned in the infobox but in the article text instead. Individual tasks should be generally kept to prose and the field should only list key people. For example, the distinction between story and script writers of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is mentioned in the article's development section.

Parameter	Default	Description
collapsible	no	Set =yes to make the box collapsible.
fetchwikidata	ALL	If you don't want all values to be fetched from wikidata, specify their property names here (see Module:WikidataIB for more details)
suppressfields		If you want to exclude some Wikidata values, specify their property names here (see Module:WikidataIB for more details)
onlysourced	yes	Set to no if you only want to fetch values from Wikidata that do not have references (see Module:WikidataIB for more details, and see this RFC, which requires reliable sources for imported Wikidata fields in infoboxes, before doing so)
qid		Set to the Wikidata QID of the entry that you want to retrieve info from, if it is not the page that the template is being used on
refs	no	set to yes if you want to fetch references from Wikidata (displayed inline and in the refs section)
noicon	no	when set to no, a small pen icon will be shown next to items populated from Wikidata, which can be used to edit the value. If set to yes, the pen icons will be hidden, and instead a single link stating "Edit on Wikidata" will display at the bottom of the Infobox.
state		Determines the initial collapsed state of the infobox. Set =collapsed to put the box in collapsed state initially. Set =expanded to put the box in expanded state initially. Set =autocollapse to have the box's initial collapsed state be determined automatically based on the number of other templates in the article that also have the "collapsible" attribute. (Has no effect if collapsible is not used.)
title		The full name of the game including punctuation and style (e.g., "Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars" instead of "Super Mario RPG" or "Legend of the Seven Stars"). Do not wikilink the name of the game.
image	(P18)	The ideal image is an English-language cover or, in the case of an arcade game, a promotional flier. Secondarily, use a logo or foreign-language cover. When cover designs differ between regions, use the cover from the region associated with the game's first English language release, though do not change another English-language version that has been uploaded first. Use art without platform decals, such as PC cover art, where possible. Avoid screenshots (per consensus), and multiple images (per WP:FUC #3). Also see the WPVG image guideline. Format the filename without the File: prefix (e.g., Name.jpg). The infobox uses "frameless" and "upright" flags to auto-size the image and accommodate user preferences. Do not manually set the image size with added syntax (e.g., "frameless", "upright", or "px").
alt		Alternative text – A short descriptive text associated with an image that serves the same purpose and conveys the same essential information as the image. Useful in situations where the image is not available to the reader, e.g If they are using a screen reader due to a visual impairment. See WP:ALT for information about how to write good Alternative text.
caption	(P2096)	A short description of the image. Is it a flyer, a game cover, or something else? (See above for what an image should consist of.) This is used as the alternate text that will be displayed below the image. (Does not show if image is not used.)
developer	(P178)	The popular name or names of the video game developers. This field is for the game development company (e.g., Nintendo) or, if confirmed by primary sources, the name of the team that developed the game (e.g., Nintendo EAD). The names can be wikilinked. Individual development tasks handled by different companies (e.g., scenario, programming) and ports should not be mentioned in the infobox but in the article text instead.
publisher	(P123)	The popular name or names of the video game publishers. Add publishers for English-language regions and, if different, the region of first release (typically that of the developer's region). The names can be wikilinked. Use the {{Video game release}} template for regional publishers. If there are many publishers or if the list grows too long, use the {{Collapsible list}} template, fill the field title= with the primary publisher and wrap this entry with {{nobold}}.
series	(P179)	The video game series the game is associated with. Only use this field if there is an article for the series. Wikilink and italicize the names (such as ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]'').
engine	(P408)	The game's engine. Only use this field for those engines listed in Category:Video game engines, either engines with an established, independent article (such as Unreal Engine), or those that have a redirect to their own section on an appropriate developer or series page (such as Dunia Engine). Wikilink its name (such as [[id Tech 3]]). Do not list common middleware engines such as Havok, SpeedTree or Euphoria.
platforms	(P400)	The unabbreviated console or operating system family for which the game was specifically developed. With multi-platform games, order by chronology; if the game was released on multiple platforms on the same day, list that subset in alphabetical order. This field includes dedicated ports, but not games in emulation or services. E.g., we would include the platforms listed in green, but not include those red below: Deus Ex was ported specifically for the PlayStation 2, but was emulated on the PlayStation 3 EarthBound was not ported but emulated on the Wii U Virtual Console Star Fox 2 was developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but only later saw release in emulation on the SNES Classic Edition Windows, not Steam or Oculus Rift Xbox 360, not Xbox Live Arcade iOS or Android, not App Store or Google Play The original platform, not PlayStation Now or OnLive Always use Windows instead of Microsoft Windows. Games that were developed for macOS should cover the operating system's name as it was at the time of the game's release: Classic Mac OS (before September 13, 2000) Mac OS X (September 13, 2000–July 24, 2012) OS X (July 25, 2012–September 21, 2016) macOS (September 22, 2016–present) For short platform lists, consider using {{unbulleted list}} ({{ubl}}) to arrange each platform on its own line. For long platform lists (more than 10 or so platforms), and in which there was a key primary platform, consider using {{collapsible list}}, with its |title= set to the primary platform and wrap this entry with {{nobold}}.
released		Add release dates according to the platforms field, for English-language regions and the developer's region. Extended open betas and early access releases must be denoted as such, and should be removed once the game has been fully released. (MOS) Do not include version release dates, short alphas and betas, mods, festivals or pre-order head starts. If sourced, use the game's exact release date ("December 25, 2024"). Use the {{Video game release}} template: {{Video game release|NA|December 25, 2024}}. If there are many release dates, enclose them all with the {{Collapsible list}} template followed by |title= with a {{nobold}} template using the earliest release date. Platforms can be abbreviated to fit in one line and should be listed as bolded section titles without colons, separated with commas (e.g., PC, 3DS, PS4). Only use WW to provide clarity where a game has various differing release dates including multiple regional release dates on some platforms and worldwide on other platforms.
genre	(P136)	The gameplay genre or genres (such as first-person shooter, adventure, etc) the game is categorized in by its developers and publishers, or by reliable sources. Do not include broad gameplay mechanics that are frequently confused with genres, such as open world. This should not include thematic genres (like science fiction, horror, etc.) as video games are more difficult to categorize in such a way. Verifiable thematic genres can be mentioned in the article's body.
modes	(P404)	Playing modes offered by the game. Currently, the only accepted values are single-player, multiplayer, or both.
arcade system	(P2670) (Q631229), qualifier (P31)	The name of or names associated with the arcade game's system board hardware. In case of unique arcade hardware, omit this field and use those below.
director	(P57)	The popular names of the game directors or creative directors who oversaw the creative development of the game. The names can be wikilinked. List only the person credited specifically with the title "director"; Do not list other types of directors in this field; For games directed by a succession of people (e.g. MMOs and games with exceptionally long development cycles), indicate their years of involvement.
producer	(P162)	The popular names of the video game producers in overall charge of the production of the game. The names can be wikilinked. List only the person credited specifically with the title "producer"; Do not list the "Executive producer" or other "sub"-producer credits; If three or more people are credited as "co-producer", discuss whether any one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person; List the "Creative producer" only if said person's involvement in the game is discussed in the article's development-related section.
designer	(P287)	The popular names of the video game designers, i.e. people who worked on the game's system. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position. If a single person is credited as "Lead designer", list that person; synonyms for this position include "[game] design director" and "lead planner"; If there is no equivalent to #1, omit this field; If three or more people are credited as "lead designer", discuss whether any one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person.
programmer	(P943)	The popular names of the video game programmers. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position. If a single person is credited as "lead programmer", list that person; synonyms for this position may include "technical director"; If there is no equivalent to #1, omit this field; If three or more people are credited as "lead programmer", discuss whether one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person.
artist	(P3080)	The popular names of the video game artists. The names can be wikilinked. List the person credited as "art director" or "lead artist"; List no more than three people in this field.
writer	(P50)	The popular names of the video game writers. The names can wikilinked. The writers should be listed in the order of their contribution, with those who wrote the game's scenarios listed before the game's story/script writers. If a single person is credited as "lead writer", list that person; synonyms for this position include "scenario director" or "scenario writer"; If there is a person credited as "scenario concept writer" or "[original] concept", also list that person here; List no more than three people in this field.
composer	(P86)	The popular names of the video game composers. List people who contributed significantly to the soundtrack. Discuss inclusion criteria on a per-game basis on the talk page.
commons	(P373)	The commons category link

Template revisions

Style changes

Here's a record of previous styles that were very different from one another:

• Gray with alternating colors, but with a gap between cells: [1] (discussion)
• Gray but no alternating colored rows: [2]
• Purple with dark borders: [3]

Field changes

• Input method: The input method section was removed on August 14, 2010. (discussion)
• Ratings: The ratings section was removed on October 2, 2012. (discussion)
• Requirements: The requirements section was removed on December 18, 2012. (discussion)
• Version: The version section was removed on February 24, 2013. (discussion)
• Media: The media field was removed on May 8, 2015. (discussion)
• Arcade specific fields, such as cabinet, display, CPU, and sound, were removed on November 26, 2020. (discussion)

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Infobox video game in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Infobox video game

A template to generate an infobox for a video game.

Template parameters

This template prefers block formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Title	title	Title of the game. If not specified the 'name' parameter or the PAGENAME are used. It should be plain text, do not include a wikilink, hyperlink or image in this parameter.	Line	optional
Collapsible	collapsible	Whether this screenshot is hidden by default, set to 'yes' to place the screenshot in a collapsible section	Line	optional
State	state	Determines the initial collapsed state of the infobox. Set collapsed to put the box in collapsed state initially. Set expanded to put the box in expanded state initially. Set autocollapse to have the box's initial collapsed state be determined automatically based on the number of other templates in the article that also have the "collapsible" attribute. (Has no effect if collapsible is not used.) Default autocollapse	String	optional
Image	image	File name for a screenshot of the image, e.g. 'GIMP screenshot.png'	File	optional
Border	border	Add a border around the image Example yes	String	optional
Caption	caption	A short description of the image.	String	optional
Developer	developer	The popular name(s) of the game developer(s), if confirmed by primary sources.	String	optional
Publisher	publisher	The popular name(s) of the video game publisher(s), if confirmed by primary sources.	String	optional
Series	series	The video game series the game is associated with. Only use this field if there is an article for the series. Wikilink and italicize the name(s) (such as Halo).	String	optional
Engine	engine	The game's engine	String	optional
Platforms	platforms	The unabbreviated console or operating system family the game was specifically developed or officially announced (if not canceled) for. This includes dedicated ports, but not games in emulation or services. See documentation for examples.	String	optional
Released	released	Release date. If possible, use the game's exact release date. Example: November 3, 2013.	String	optional
Genre	genre	The genre of the game, such as first-person shooter, adventure, etc.	String	optional
Modes	modes	Playing modes offered by the game. Currently, the only accepted values are single-player, multiplayer, or both.	String	optional
Arcade system	arcade system	no description	String	optional
Note	Note	no description	String	optional
Director	director	The popular names of the game directors or creative directors who oversaw the creative development of the game. The names can be wikilinked.	String	optional
Producer	producer	The popular names of the game producers in overall charge of the production of the game. The names can be wikilinked.	String	optional
Designer	designer	The popular names of the game designers, i.e. people who worked on the game's system. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.	String	optional
Programmer	programmer	The popular names of the game programmers. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.	String	optional
Artist	artist	The popular names of the game's artists. The names can be wikilinked.	String	optional
Writer	writer	The popular names of the game's writers. The names can wikilinked. The writers should be listed in the order of their contribution, with those who wrote the game's scenarios/scripts listed before the game's story writers.	String	optional
Composer	composer	The popular names of the composers who worked on the game's music.	String	optional
fetchwikidata	fetchwikidata	no description	Unknown	optional
suppressfields	suppressfields	no description	Unknown	optional
onlysourced	onlysourced	no description	Unknown	optional
qid	qid	Wikidata's unique, persistent identifier for the data. Short for Q-identifier. Consists of the letter Q and a number. Example Q12345	String	optional
refs	refs	no description	Unknown	optional
noicon	noicon	no description	Unknown	optional
alt	alt	no description	Unknown	optional

Example

Nintendogs
An example image
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Kiyoshi Mizuki
Producer(s)	Hideki Konno
Composer(s)	Hajime Wakai
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	Template:Collapsible list
Genre(s)	Pet-raising simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Template:EditOnWikidata

{{Infobox video game
| title         = Nintendogs
| image         = Example-serious.jpg
| caption       = An example image
| developer     = [[Nintendo EAD]]
| publisher     = [[Nintendo]]
| platforms     = [[Nintendo DS]]
| released      = {{Collapsible list |title={{nobold|April 21, 2005}}
|'''Original version'''{{Video game release|JP|April 21, 2005|NA|August 22, 2005|AUS|September 29, 2005|EU|October 7, 2005}}'''''Best Friends'''''{{Video game release|NA|October 24, 2005}}'''''Dalmatian & Friends'''''{{Video game release|EU|June 16, 2006|NA|October 16, 2006}}
}}
| genre         = [[List of artificial pet games|Pet-raising simulation]]
| modes         = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| director      = Kiyoshi Mizuki
| producer      = [[Hideki Konno]]
| composer      = Hajime Wakai
}}

Tracking categories

• Category:Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters (0)
• Category:Pages using infobox video game with unknown parameters (0)

See also

• {{Infobox video game series}} for video game franchises and series.
• {{Infobox software}} for general software.
• WP:IB - list of infoboxes