Group Related Games Across Platforms Into a Unified Entry

📋 Summary

This request proposes a new system in LaunchBox that allows users to group related games across multiple platforms into a single entry, improving organization and reducing clutter in multi-platform views. Whether it’s ports, remakes, or different editions, users could navigate them through a platform-aware selector, while keeping each version distinct and accessible.

❗Problem

Currently, LaunchBox shows separate entries for each version of a game, which leads to visual duplication in multi-platform playlists, favorites, or discovery views. While “Additional Apps” can help, it hides those games from the broader library and forces one game to act as the parent. Users managing collections with many ports, remakes, or fan versions struggle to keep their libraries clean and navigable.

🎯 Feature Overview

Introduce an optional Group Related Games system that includes:

• A grouped view in multi-platform areas (e.g., Playlists, Discovery Center, Favorites)

• A flyout or dropdown selector, grouped by platform, showing all versions of the game:

Final Fantasy I

├─ NES

├─ Game Boy Advance

├─ PlayStation Portable

└─ Pixel Remaster (PC)

• Optionally apply unified artwork or metadata

• Grouping should not affect visibility in per-platform views

• Launch menu or controller-friendly interface to pick a version to play

• New grouping UI tools in metadata editor or via right-click/context menu

🧩 Use Cases

• Multi-platform releases: Group Final Fantasy I on NES, GBA, PSP, and PC

• Remakes and remasters: Combine Resident Evil 2 original and remake

• Collections and bundles: Group Darkstalkers entries from the Capcom Fighting Collection

• Enhanced editions or mods: Combine Sonic 3 with a fan-made widescreen port

• User-friendly dropdowns: Show grouped games with platform labels to reduce confusion

📦 Benefits

• Reduces clutter in discovery and playlist views

• Keeps platform-specific organization intact

• Simplifies navigation for users and viewers

• Highlights related content while maintaining version granularity

• Creates a more modern and intuitive browsing experience in large libraries