Website publishing
Games for Website: Four Ways to Add Games to Your Site, Compared
Iframe embed, catalog feed, self-hosting or building your own: the work, cost and control of each way to put games on a website, and which one fits a blog, a school site or a full games portal.
"Games for website" is a broad search, and the answer depends on what you want from your site. A blog that adds a game section to keep readers longer needs something different from a full game portal. This guide compares the main ways to put games on a website, with the cost and work of each, so you can choose before you spend time on the wrong one.
Option 1: embed a game with an iframe
Work: very low. Cost: free with a catalog like PlayKovo. Control: low.
You paste a snippet and the game appears. The provider hosts and updates the files. This is the best choice if you want to try games on a normal blog, news site or business website without touching servers.
Option 2: import a catalog through a feed
Work: medium (a developer helps). Cost: free for the PlayKovo catalog. Control: medium.
A JSON or XML feed gives you titles, descriptions, images, categories and iframe codes for every game. You import them into your own pages and design them your way. Good if you want a games section with filters, categories and your own layout. The PlayKovo feed needs no API key; the details are in the partner documentation.
Option 3: host game files yourself
Work: high. Cost: hosting and your time. Control: full.
You download or buy game builds and upload them to your server. You decide everything, but you must track licences, fix broken games, handle updates and watch your bandwidth. Only choose this if you have a developer and a clear reason.
Option 4: build your own game
Work: highest. Cost: high in time or money. Control: full.
Makes sense for a brand game or a campaign, not for filling a games page.
Which one fits your website?
- Blog or content site, want longer visits: Option 1, with a few games placed at the end of related articles.
- Kids or school resource site: Option 1 or 2, with careful game choice and no pop-ups. Read our post on child-friendly game websites first.
- Dedicated games website: Option 2, with categories, search and a good first set of games.
- Brand or campaign: Option 4, or a custom order.
What every option needs from you
- Pages that work on mobile. Many players will arrive on a phone.
- A clear page title and a short description for each game, written in your own words.
- A privacy policy that explains the third-party content on your pages.
- A check from time to time that every game still opens.
Start with one
The fastest way to learn is to add a single game to one page and watch what visitors do. Pick a game from the catalog, paste the iframe, and compare time on that page with a similar page without a game. If it helps, add more. If you want to see launches from your own site, register your website.