Turn your Steam backlog into art. A new open-source web app called playtime-panorama builds a personalized collage of your entire Steam library, scaling each game’s tile by the hours you’ve actually played. The result is a striking, at-a-glance snapshot of your gaming habits: your most-played epics take center stage, while shorter sessions and niche favorites still get their moment in the grid.
The idea first surfaced as a downloadable tool that quickly went viral for turning playtime stats into stylish posters. But as interest grew, so did concerns about privacy and handing over account details to a closed-source app. That feedback sparked a community-driven solution: a transparent, open-source version that uses publicly available Steam API data and collects nothing.
How it works is clever and simple. The web app reads your public playtime data, then arranges game images in a dynamic CSS grid. A non-linear scaling curve ensures one 1,000-hour obsession doesn’t swallow the entire collage, while smaller tiles keep your broader library visible. It’s a balanced, data-driven design that looks great and tells an honest story about how you actually spend your time.
Privacy sits at the heart of the project. Because the code is open and auditable, anyone can review how it operates, self-host it, or run it locally. There’s no account harvesting, no tracking, and no hidden data collection. If your Steam profile and game details are set to public, the app can fetch what it needs directly from the Steam API—nothing more.
Why people love it:
– It’s a genuine reflection of your gaming life, not just a list of titles.
– It’s fast to generate and easy to share.
– The collage scales beautifully, giving long-term favorites the space they deserve without burying the rest.
– Open-source transparency removes guesswork about where your data goes.
Getting started is straightforward:
– Make sure your Steam profile and game details are set to public.
– Open the web app and enter your Steam ID or profile URL.
– Generate your collage and tweak options as needed.
– Save and share your panorama anywhere you like.
Beyond the wow factor, the collage can be surprisingly useful. It highlights which games truly stick with you, surfaces forgotten gems you spent more time on than you remember, and helps cut through a cluttered library. It can even guide what to play next or which titles deserve a second look.
Because the project is open-source, it’s also a great starting point for tinkerers. Want a different scaling curve, custom color themes, or filters for genres and tags? You can fork the code and build your own flavor. Designers and data-viz fans will appreciate the use of responsive CSS grids and how the non-linear weighting keeps the layout both readable and visually balanced.
The community response has been enthusiastic, with users sharing their panoramas and comparing surprise standouts—those games that quietly accumulated dozens of hours without ever feeling like marathons. It’s a fun reminder that your most meaningful gaming experiences aren’t always just the newest releases.
If you’ve ever wanted a clean, shareable way to showcase your Steam journey—one that respects your privacy and puts you in control—playtime-panorama is an easy recommendation. Search for the project by name to find the open-source repository and the web app, set your profile to public, and turn your library into a panorama that’s as personal as your playtime.
