Game Sources & Licensing

Last updated: May 2026

This page describes where Game Hub Arena's catalog games come from, the licensing context for distribution, and how developer attribution is preserved. The principle: games are sourced through legitimate distribution networks that handle developer-publisher licensing relationships, with developer credits preserved on every catalog entry.

1. The four primary source channels

CloudArcade-compatible game feeds

CloudArcade (the CMS powering Game Hub Arena) supports importing from established HTML5 game-distribution networks via XML/JSON feeds. The CloudArcade game-feed system handles:

• Game metadata (title, developer, genre, description, thumbnail, gameplay-frame URL).
• Category mapping into the Site's category structure.
• Periodic updates as the source feed publishes new games.
• License-attribution preservation (developer credit displayed on game pages).

GameDistribution.com

Source: gamedistribution.com (operated by Azerion) — one of the largest HTML5 game distribution networks. Provides feeds with thousands of legitimately-distributable HTML5 games, with developer attribution preserved.

Licensing model: developers submit their games to GameDistribution; GameDistribution enables portals like ours to embed those games via standardized iframe-embed URLs, with revenue sharing where applicable. Each game's distribution arrangement is between the developer and GameDistribution; we operate within GameDistribution's portal-distribution terms.

GameMonetize

Source: gamemonetize.com — another major HTML5 game distribution network with similar feed integration to GameDistribution. Different developer base; some overlap with GameDistribution's catalog.

Licensing model: similar to GameDistribution — developers submit games, the network enables portal distribution, revenue sharing where applicable.

Itch.io public games

Source: itch.io — major indie game distribution platform. Itch.io's public-API allows portals to discover and embed HTML5 games where developers have configured them as portal-distributable.

Licensing model: Itch.io developers control distribution permissions for their games; only games where the developer has configured public-portal-distribution are included in our catalog.

Direct developer submissions

HTML5 game developers can submit their games for direct catalog inclusion via info [at] gamehubarena [punto] fun with subject line Game submission. Submissions include:

• Game title, developer name / studio name, contact information.
• Description and category context.
• Hosted gameplay URL (the developer hosts the game; we embed via iframe).
• Confirmation that the developer has rights to authorize portal distribution.
• Suggested content rating with rationale.

Direct submissions are reviewed against the same standards as feed-sourced games (per Content Standards and How We Curate).

2. Game source identification per catalog entry

Each catalog entry's source is internally identified for traceability:

• Which source feed / channel the game came from.
• Date of catalog inclusion.
• License-attribution as provided by the source.
• Any specific developer / studio metadata associated with the entry.

Source identification is internal (catalog interfaces are user-facing simple); per-entry source attribution is available on legitimate request to info [at] gamehubarena [punto] fun.

3. Developer attribution — visible to users

On each game page, the user-facing presentation includes:

• Developer / studio credit (where the source feed provides it).
• Game title as the developer titled it.
• Description derived from developer-provided material with editorial paraphrasing.
• Genre / category context applied via our controlled vocabulary.

Where developers submit corrections to attribution (a wrong developer name, an updated studio attribution), the corrections are processed promptly per Corrections & Removal Policy.

4. What sources we do NOT use

The catalog excludes:

• Pirated commercial-game ports. Sources that primarily distribute unauthorized HTML5 ports of commercial titles (Nintendo / Sega / Activision / etc. games made portable without permission).
• Sources that strip developer attribution. If a feed source consistently fails to preserve developer credit, the source is unsuitable for this catalog.
• Adult-content distribution networks. The catalog is family-friendly default; adult-content sources are excluded entirely.
• Gambling-game distribution networks. Real-money gambling and slot-machine-themed distribution networks are excluded.
• Sources that distribute malware-adjacent content. Networks whose games trigger unexpected downloads, deceptive UI, or other user-safety issues.

5. License-clarity practices

• The legitimacy of distribution is the source feed's responsibility. We rely on the source feeds (GameDistribution, GameMonetize, Itch.io public-API) to maintain licensing arrangements with developers. We do not independently verify each developer's rights but trust the source-feed framework where it is established.
• Where rights claims arise, the takedown procedure on DMCA applies regardless of which source the game came from.
• Developer-direct removal requests are honored regardless of formal DMCA per Corrections & Removal Policy.
• Source-feed integrity issues (a feed found to be distributing pirated content) result in removal of that feed's contributions to the catalog.

6. Cross-referencing with developer profiles

Where a game's developer has a public profile (Itch.io profile, GameDistribution developer page, personal website), we link to the developer profile from the game page where space and design support it. This:

• Strengthens developer attribution.
• Lets users discover other games by developers they enjoy.
• Supports the indie HTML5 game development community.

7. Source-feed updates

The source-feed list is reviewed periodically:

• New feeds may be added when they offer authoritative coverage useful to the catalog.
• Feeds that become unreliable, change their access framework, or develop quality issues are reduced or removed.
• Feed-import practices evolve as the catalog grows and as standards solidify.

8. Citation in catalog entries

Per-entry source attribution is internal rather than user-facing (catalog interface space is limited; users browsing for "what should I play?" are not served by per-entry source-citation overhead). Where a specific catalog claim is challenged (a reader disputes a developer attribution), the source-attribution is available on request.

Related pages: How We Curate · HTML5 Game Architecture · Copyright Notice · DMCA · Content Standards