Official Data Infrastructure

The Primary Source Data Backbone

Ludologium is grounded exclusively in official, primary, and academic data streams. We do not rely on ad-hoc scraping; all data flows through structured APIs, open-government disclosures, and permanent museum archives.

XML APIFree Developer API Key

BoardGameGeek XML API2

Managing Entity: BoardGameGeek LLC

Populates the Board Game Genome, mechanics taxonomy links, designer/artist networks, and BGG rank ratings.

Primary Endpoint

https://boardgamegeek.com/xmlapi2/thing?id={bggId}&stats=1

Weekly sync of top 5,000 gamesOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIFree Developer API Key

Steamworks Web API & Global User Stats

Managing Entity: Valve Corporation

Drives the Achievement Friction Map drop-off funnels, live concurrent player pulses, and official app news feeds.

Primary Endpoint

https://api.steampowered.com/ISteamUserStats/GetGlobalAchievementPercentagesForApp/v0002/?gameid={appId}

Continuous 15-minute concurrency pulseOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIFree Developer API Key

Riot Games Developer API

Managing Entity: Riot Games Inc.

Feeds the Competitive Meta Engine with ranked telemetry, champion pick/ban rates, item synergies, and patch diff ripples.

Primary Endpoint

https://{region}.api.riotgames.com/lol/match/v5/matches/{matchId}

Bi-weekly patch cadence synchronizationOfficial Docs

Bulk CSV / ParquetPublic Domain / CC0

FIDE Official Rating Lists

Managing Entity: International Chess Federation (FIDE)

Powers the Chess Observatory with worldwide standard, rapid, and blitz player demographic distributions and federation rankings.

Primary Endpoint

https://ratings.fide.com/download_lists.phtml

Monthly official list publicationOfficial Docs

Open Source FrameworkAcademic Open Source (Apache 2.0)

Google DeepMind OpenSpiel

Managing Entity: Google DeepMind

Forms the executable algorithmic engine behind the Game Theory Lab (Prisoner's Dilemma, Kuhn Poker, Stag Hunt).

Primary Endpoint

https://github.com/google-deepmind/open_spiel

Continuous upstream git releasesOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIOpen Government / SEC

USPTO PatentsView / Open Data

Managing Entity: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Drives the Game Patent Atlas, isolating gaming apparatus patents (D-pad, thumbstick, haptic triggers, Nemesis system).

Primary Endpoint

https://api.patentsview.org/patents/query

Monthly USPTO patent grant harvestOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIPublic Domain / CC0

Library of Congress Digital Collections & Preservation

Managing Entity: U.S. Library of Congress

Supplies digitized historical game boards (Nellie Bly, Sugoroku, Hoyle) and video game preservation frameworks.

Primary Endpoint

https://www.loc.gov/items/?fo=json&q=board+games

Quarterly archival query updatesOfficial Docs

Open Access OAI-PMHPublic Domain / CC0

Smithsonian Open Access Collections

Managing Entity: Smithsonian Institution

Supplies physical 18th-20th century board game artifacts for The Table Through Time (1700–2000).

Primary Endpoint

https://api.si.edu/openaccess/api/v1.0/search?q=board+game

Quarterly collection synchronizationOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIPublic Domain / CC0

ESRB Content Ratings Database

Managing Entity: Entertainment Software Rating Board

Structures the Content-Rating Graph tracking descriptor evolution (in-game purchases, user interaction, simulated gambling).

Primary Endpoint

https://www.esrb.org/search/

Bi-monthly descriptor auditOfficial Docs

REST JSON APIOpen Government / SEC

SEC EDGAR Financial Data API

Managing Entity: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Populates The Business of Play with public gaming company 10-K filings, segment revenues, and M&A corporate graphs.

Primary Endpoint

https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK{cik}.json

Quarterly 10-Q / Annual 10-K filingsOfficial Docs