API Docs · ScanDex

Changelog

October 31 2025

Updated design.
Added start page with lookup search field.
Added API v2.
Added /create endpoint
Added barcodes with game matches, now totaling 100,000 barcodes matched with 20,000 unique games.

November 5 2024

Added developer account system.
Added preliminary pricing options.

November 3 2024

Added initial dataset of games with cutoff date October 30 2024.
Published v1 of the API.

Get Started

ScanDex launched in November 2024. During this initial phase, the number of matched games may be limited; however, given the challenges of identifying games through general barcode databases, we believe it’s more beneficial to build a robust resource for the future than to do nothing. You are welcome to use any other barcode database as a fallback in addition to the ScanDex API. If both sources return no results, we encourage you to use the Add Suggestion endpoint to help us expand and refine our dataset.

BASE URL https://scandex.gamery.app/api/v2

Authorization

To use the API, include the Authorization header with your unique access token in each request.

Header	Value
Authorization Required	XXXXXXXXXX

Lookup

GET /lookup

Look for a game with a given barcode value.

Example barcode: 0711719577966

Note: Because UPC codes are compatible with EAN, we can return a game even if we do not explicitly have the EAN code for a game. As an example, if you provide the EAN 0711719577966 we will still return a game, even though we just have the UPC code 711719577966 in our database, because codes with a leading zero are interchangeable.

Parameter	Type	Description
value Required	Number	EAN or UPC barcode value.

Response

When you have sent your barcode value, there are two possibilities for what ScanDex might respond with.

If ScanDex does not yet know about the barcode you have sent, you will receive a response message with the status code 404. You may want to use the Add Suggestion endpoint afterwards.


{
  "message": "This barcode does not exist yet."
}

If ScanDex knows about this barcode, but no matching IGDB data is available yet, you will receive this response.


{
    "id": 178182,
    "source": "import",
    "status": "unmatched",
    "igdb_metadata": null
}

In the best case ScanDex knows about your barcode and already matched it to a IGDB game. Then, it will return a result with the status code 200 and the corresponding metadata.


{
    "id": 87859,
    "source": "import",
    "igdb_metadata": {
        "id": 26758,
        "name": "Super Mario Odyssey",
        "platform": {
            "id": 130,
            "name": "Nintendo Switch"
        }
    }
}

Property	Type	Description
id	Number	The internal identifier of this barcode lookup.
source	String	Either user (when this match was added using the Add Suggestion endpoint) or import.
igdb_metadata.id	Number	The id of the game in the IGDB API. See: https://api-docs.igdb.com/#game
igdb_metadata.name	String	The name of the game in the IGDB API. See: https://api-docs.igdb.com/#game
igdb_metadata.platform.id	Number	The id of the game's platform in the IGDB API. See https://api-docs.igdb.com/#platform.
igdb_metadata.platform.name	String	The name of the game's platform in the IGDB API. See https://api-docs.igdb.com/#platform.

Add Matching Data

POST /create

If the Lookup endpoint does not return a result, you may display a search interface allowing users to manually search for the game via the IGDB API. You can then submit the scanned barcode and the selected game to ScanDex to help improve the database.

Parameter	Type	Description
igdb_id Required	Number	The suggested IGDB id for the game.
platform_id Required	Number	The suggested IGDB platform id.
platform Required	String	The suggested IGDB platform name.
name Required	String	The suggested IGDB game name.
value Required	Number	EAN or UPC barcode value (between 8 and 14 digits).