Are questions asking whether a game based on a certain setting exists on topic?

Question

https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/256291/is-their-a-gravity-falls-game

We were discussing this in Chat (relevant discussion: https://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/27736501#27736501 to https://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/27736789#27736789) whether this question actually is allowed.

It borrows elements from game recommendations and game identification, but it fits neither category, and the reasons why we don't allow these kinds of questions don't really apply to this kind of question.

• We disallow game recommendations because they're inherently subjective, but this kind of question can be answered objectively: either a game exists, or it does not.
• We disallow game identification questions without solid information, but this kind of question has pretty solid information in my opinion: a setting is something recognizable, something that gives enough information to find a game based on it, if even just through Wikipedia or Google.

What is the verdict on this kind of question? are they allowed or not? and what rules should we have for them?

Answer 1

Per the help center, these sorts of questions are off-topic:

Please note, however, that site policies prohibit questions of the following types:

...

• Catalogues (listing games that fit specific criteria or are like an existing game)

Answer 2

I think there's an argument to be made that these kinds of questions aren't explicitly off topic. I don't necessarily think those arguments would be very good ones, but I could see someone making them.

Regardless, they should be off topic. I suggest we expand the Game ID off topic policy to explicitly disallow "Does this game exist?" style questions, which add nothing to the site.

That way, there's no argument whatsoever.