What is the GME file format?
.gme files are associated with the Game Music Emu (libgme) library - an open-source C++ audio library originally created by Blargg and now maintained at github.com/libgme/game-music-emu. The library plays back retro video-game music ripped from classic gaming consoles, and .gme is used as a generic extension label for any chiptune file the library handles.
The .gme extension is not a distinct binary format - it is a generic alias assigned by some players and tools to any supported retro game-music file, including NSF (NES), SPC (SNES), VGM/VGZ (Sega hardware), GBS (Game Boy), HES (TurboGrafx-16), AY (ZX Spectrum), KSS (MSX/Z80), GYM (Sega Genesis), and SAP (Atari). A .gme file is often simply a renamed file in one of these sub-formats. The library identifies the actual sub-format from the file's own magic bytes.
libgme is integrated as a plugin in foobar2000 (via the foo_gep plugin), VLC media player, Winamp with the Chipamp pack, and Audacious, enabling those applications to open .gme files directly.
Note: the .gme extension is also used by DexDrive PlayStation memory card peripherals for save-game data files - a completely separate and unrelated usage for storing PlayStation game progress copied to a PC hard drive.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWPure audio data; no executable code. Low risk unless disguised malware uses .gme extension.
Format details
in a nutshell- Gunbound Game Data File - Nexon/Softnyx Gunbound online game reportedly uses .gme for game data/resource files; unrelated to audio.
Programs that open GME files
Windows3 apps
VLC media player
Open-source VLC includes GME support on most builds; drag .gme file onto VLC window. 
foobar2000 (with foo_gep plugin)
Free Install foo_gep plugin from foobar2000's component list; drag .gme file into playlist. 
macOS1 app
Linux2 apps
Technical details
deep spec| Container type | Generic extension alias - no single fixed binary format; internal layout matches the embedded sub-format |
| Encoding | Binary (sub-format dependent) |
| Byte order | Sub-format dependent - little-endian typical (NSF, VGM); big-endian for SPC |
| Supported sub-formats | NSF (NES), SPC (SNES), VGM/VGZ (Sega hardware), GBS (Game Boy), HES (TurboGrafx-16), AY (ZX Spectrum), KSS (MSX/Z80), GYM (Sega Genesis), SAP (Atari) |
| Compression | Sub-format dependent - VGZ uses gzip; most other sub-formats are uncompressed |
| Typical file size | 4 KB - 2 MB |
| Render sample rate | 44,100 Hz default (libgme output; configurable in the library) |
| Library | libgme (Game Music Emu) v0.6.3 (2019); open-source C++ |
| Format identification | By embedded sub-format magic bytes - e.g., NESM for NSF, SNES-SPC700 Sound File Data for SPC, Vgm for VGM |
| MIME type | audio/x-gme |
| Checksum/integrity | Sub-format dependent; most retro game-music formats lack checksums |
| Released | early 2000s (Blargg's Game_Music_Emu library) |
| Latest version | libgme 0.6.3 (2019) |
| Specification | github.com |
GME conversions
Community Q&A
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