Aniki ReMake Guide / Artwork & Metadata
Set Up Your Library

Artwork & Metadata

Aniki ReMake can only display information and artwork that exists in your Playnite library or is supplied by a compatible add-on.

A good metadata setup makes a large difference to how the theme looks.

First-time metadata setup

Before adjusting Aniki around missing artwork, make sure Playnite itself has the media Aniki needs.

  1. Pick one game in Playnite Desktop, right-click it and choose Edit.
  2. Make sure that game has at least a Cover Image and a Background Image.
  3. Open Playnite Settings → Metadata and configure the source priorities you want for covers, backgrounds and other metadata.
  4. Download metadata for a small test selection first and check the result.
  5. When you are happy with the providers/priorities, download metadata for the rest of the library.
  6. Only then adjust Playnite's cover aspect ratio and Aniki's columns/rows to match the presentation you want.
If a cover or background is missing in Playnite Desktop, fix the metadata/media there first. Aniki cannot display artwork that Playnite or a compatible add-on does not provide.

Background images are strongly recommended

Aniki can work with different background modes, but several views are designed around having useful game artwork available.

If your library contains games with no background image, some Aniki areas can look empty when you choose game-background modes.

Before spending time troubleshooting the theme, make sure your games have:

  • a cover;
  • a background;
  • the basic metadata you want Aniki to display.

Check one game's metadata

In Playnite Desktop:

  1. Find the game.
  2. Right-click it.
  3. Select Edit.
  4. Review its metadata and media.
  5. Save.

Depending on your Aniki settings, the theme can use fields such as:

  • name;
  • cover;
  • background;
  • source;
  • platform;
  • genre;
  • category;
  • release date;
  • description;
  • playtime;
  • last activity;
  • completion status;
  • rating;
  • Features.

If a field is empty in Playnite, enabling that field in Aniki cannot create the missing data.

Configure automatic metadata sources

In Playnite Desktop:

  1. Click the Playnite icon in the top-left corner.
  2. Select Settings....
  3. Open Metadata.
  4. Find the metadata field you want to configure, for example Cover Image or Background Image.
  5. Order the available sources by priority.
  6. Put your preferred source first.
  7. Save.

Playnite tries the first source first. If it cannot provide the requested metadata, Playnite can move to the next source.

Playnite Desktop Settings → Metadata with Cover Image and Background Image source priorities visible.
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IMAGE TO ADDPlaynite Desktop Settings → Metadata with Cover Image and Background Image source priorities visible.images/artwork-and-metadata-01.png

Optional metadata sources that work well with Aniki

You are free to use any metadata source you prefer.

Two optional sources can be useful for Aniki-style libraries:

Universal PSN Metadata

Useful if you like:

  • square PlayStation-style covers;
  • PSN artwork;
  • backgrounds that often work well with console-style layouts.

To install it:

  1. Open Playnite Desktop.
  2. Press F9.
  3. Open Browse → Metadata Sources.
  4. Search for Universal PSN Metadata.
  5. Install and configure it.
  6. Put it high in the Cover Image / Background Image priority if you want Playnite to prefer its artwork.

IGN Metadata

IGN Metadata can also provide covers, backgrounds and general game metadata.

Install it from Browse → Metadata Sources, then add it to the relevant metadata priorities.

These are visual recommendations, not requirements. If you already have artwork you like, you do not need to replace it.

Download metadata for existing games

Changing metadata priorities does not automatically replace all artwork already stored in your library.

To update existing games:

  1. Open Playnite Desktop.
  2. Open the Playnite main menu.
  3. Select Library → Download Metadata.
  4. Choose the games you want to process.
  5. Choose whether Playnite should download only missing metadata or also replace existing metadata.
  6. Continue through the metadata wizard.

You can also press Ctrl + D.

Refresh the entire library

If you intentionally want to rebuild metadata for the whole database:

  1. Open Library → Download Metadata.
  2. Choose All Games From Database.
  3. Disable Only Missing Metadata only if you really want existing metadata to be replaceable.
  4. Continue through the wizard.
Be careful with this option if you manually curated covers or backgrounds.

Cover shape and grid layout

Two different settings affect how covers appear:

  • Target aspect ratio controls the shape of the covers.
  • Columns and rows control how many covers Aniki displays on screen.

Do not change one when you actually mean the other.

Change the cover aspect ratio

Use Playnite Desktop:

  1. Click the Playnite icon.
  2. Select Settings....
  3. Open Appearance → Grid View.
  4. Find Target aspect ratio.
  5. Choose one of Playnite's normal aspect-ratio presets.

For square covers, choose 1:1.

Change Aniki's columns and rows

Use Aniki Fullscreen:

  1. Press Start / Menu.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Open Layout.
  4. Adjust columns and rows.

Aniki supports:

  • Standard covers: 6–10 columns and 1–2 rows.
  • Square covers: 5–9 columns and 2 rows.
  • Banner / hero covers: 2–4 columns and 2–3 rows.

If Aniki displays Unsupported layout settings, follow the values shown by the warning.

Playnite Desktop Grid View Target aspect ratio and Aniki Fullscreen Layout columns/rows.
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IMAGE TO ADDPlaynite Desktop Grid View Target aspect ratio and Aniki Fullscreen Layout columns/rows.images/artwork-and-metadata-02.png

Steam Feature icons

Some Aniki layouts display icons for game features such as:

  • achievements;
  • cloud saves;
  • controller support;
  • multiplayer/co-op;
  • HDR;
  • VR;
  • Workshop;
  • Remote Play;
  • and other supported Features.

These icons come from the game's Features metadata in Playnite.

If an expected feature icon is missing:

  1. Open Playnite Desktop.
  2. Right-click the game.
  3. Select Edit.
  4. Check the Features field.
  5. Add/correct the feature metadata.
  6. Save.

The theme cannot show a feature icon when the corresponding Playnite Feature is missing.

Backgrounds are missing

First check the game itself:

  1. Open Playnite Desktop.
  2. Edit the game.
  3. Confirm a Background Image exists.
  4. Save.
  5. Return to Fullscreen.

If the game has a background but Aniki still does not show it, check:

Start / Menu → Settings → Customization → Backgrounds and Videos

Then verify Main library background is using a mode that can display game backgrounds.

See Backgrounds & Visual Packs.

Next: logos and trailers

Logos and trailers are handled through Extra Metadata Loader rather than normal Playnite cover/background fields.

Continue with:

Logos & Trailers