diff --git a/src/components/dialogs/UnlockerChoiceDialog.tsx b/src/components/dialogs/UnlockerChoiceDialog.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16e1f12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/dialogs/UnlockerChoiceDialog.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+import Dialog from './Dialog'
+import DialogHeader from './DialogHeader'
+import DialogBody from './DialogBody'
+import DialogFooter from './DialogFooter'
+import DialogActions from './DialogActions'
+import { Button, ButtonVariant } from '@/components/buttons'
+import { Icon, info } from '@/components/icons'
+import VotesDisplay, { GameVotes } from '@/components/common/VotesDisplay'
+
+export interface UnlockerChoiceOption {
+  key: string
+  title: string
+  badge: 'recommended' | 'alternative'
+  description: string
+  buttonLabel: string
+  buttonVariant: ButtonVariant
+  onSelect: () => void
+  /** Omit entirely for unlockers that don't have community vote data (e.g. Epic's) */
+  votes?: GameVotes | null
+}
+
+export interface UnlockerChoiceDialogProps {
+  visible: boolean
+  gameTitle: string | null
+  onClose: () => void
+  options: UnlockerChoiceOption[]
+}
+
+/**
+ * Generic "choose which unlocker to install" dialog. Used for both the
+ * Steam choice (CreamLinux vs SmokeAPI, with vote data) and the Epic choice
+ * (ScreamAPI vs Koaloader, no votes) - they only differ in copy and options,
+ * not in structure.
+ */
+const UnlockerChoiceDialog = ({ visible, gameTitle, onClose, options }: UnlockerChoiceDialogProps) => {
+  return (
+    <Dialog visible={visible} onClose={onClose} size="medium">
+      <DialogHeader onClose={onClose} hideCloseButton={true}>
+        <div className="unlocker-selection-header">
+          <h3>Choose Unlocker</h3>
+        </div>
+      </DialogHeader>
+
+      <DialogBody>
+        <div className="unlocker-selection-content">
+          <p className="game-title-info">
+            Select which unlocker to install for <strong>{gameTitle}</strong>:
+          </p>
+
+          <div className="unlocker-options">
+            {options.map((option) => (
+              <div
+                key={option.key}
+                className={`unlocker-option ${option.badge === 'recommended' ? 'recommended' : ''}`}
+              >
+                <div className="option-header">
+                  <h4>{option.title}</h4>
+                  <span
+                    className={
+                      option.badge === 'recommended' ? 'recommended-badge' : 'alternative-badge'
+                    }
+                  >
+                    {option.badge === 'recommended' ? 'Recommended' : 'Alternative'}
+                  </span>
+                </div>
+                <p className="option-description">{option.description}</p>
+                {option.votes !== undefined && <VotesDisplay votes={option.votes} />}
+                <Button variant={option.buttonVariant} onClick={option.onSelect} fullWidth>
+                  {option.buttonLabel}
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="selection-info">
+            <Icon name={info} variant="solid" size="md" />
+            <span>
+              You can always uninstall and try the other option if one doesn't work properly.
+            </span>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </DialogBody>
+
+      <DialogFooter>
+        <DialogActions>
+          <Button variant="secondary" onClick={onClose}>
+            Cancel
+          </Button>
+        </DialogActions>
+      </DialogFooter>
+    </Dialog>
+  )
+}
+
+export default UnlockerChoiceDialog
diff --git a/src/components/games/EpicGameList.tsx b/src/components/games/EpicGameList.tsx
index 9234f05..f0388e6 100644
--- a/src/components/games/EpicGameList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/games/EpicGameList.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { useMemo } from 'react'
 import EpicGameItem from '@/components/games/EpicGameItem'
 import { EpicGame } from '@/types/EpicGame'
 import LoadingIndicator from '../common/LoadingIndicator'
+import { Button } from '@/components/buttons'
+import { Icon, refresh } from '@/components/icons'
 
 interface EpicGameListProps {
   games: EpicGame[]
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ interface EpicGameListProps {
   onUninstallScream: (game: EpicGame) => void
   onUninstallKoaloader: (game: EpicGame) => void
   onSettings: (game: EpicGame) => void
+  onRefresh: () => void
 }
 
 const EpicGameList = ({
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ const EpicGameList = ({
   onUninstallScream,
   onUninstallKoaloader,
   onSettings,
+  onRefresh,
 }: EpicGameListProps) => {
   const sortedGames = useMemo(
     () => [...games].sort((a, b) => a.title.localeCompare(b.title)),
@@ -37,7 +41,18 @@ const EpicGameList = ({
 
   return (
     <div className="game-list">
-      <h2>Epic Games ({games.length})</h2>
+      <div className="game-list-header">
+        <h2>Epic Games ({games.length})</h2>
+        <Button
+          variant="secondary"
+          size="medium"
+          onClick={onRefresh}
+          title="Refresh"
+          className="refresh-button"
+          leftIcon={<Icon name={refresh} variant="solid" size="md" />}
+          iconOnly
+        />
+      </div>
 
       {games.length === 0 ? (
         <div className="no-games-message">
diff --git a/src/components/games/GameItem.tsx b/src/components/games/GameItem.tsx
index c2774e7..9317efa 100644
--- a/src/components/games/GameItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/games/GameItem.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ interface GameItemProps {
 const GameItem = ({ game, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRate, reportingEnabled }: GameItemProps) => {
   const [imageUrl, setImageUrl] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(true)
-  const [hasError, setHasError] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     // Function to fetch the game cover/image
@@ -35,13 +34,9 @@ const GameItem = ({ game, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRate, reportin
 
         if (bestImageUrl) {
           setImageUrl(bestImageUrl)
-          setHasError(false)
-        } else {
-          setHasError(true)
         }
       } catch (error) {
         console.error('Error fetching game image:', error)
-        setHasError(true)
       } finally {
         setIsLoading(false)
       }
@@ -104,11 +99,7 @@ const GameItem = ({ game, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRate, reportin
 
   // Determine background image
   const backgroundImage =
-    !isLoading && imageUrl
-      ? `url(${imageUrl})`
-      : hasError
-        ? 'linear-gradient(135deg, #232323, #1A1A1A)'
-        : 'linear-gradient(135deg, #232323, #1A1A1A)'
+    !isLoading && imageUrl ? `url(${imageUrl})` : 'linear-gradient(135deg, #232323, #1A1A1A)'
 
   return (
     <div
diff --git a/src/components/games/GameList.tsx b/src/components/games/GameList.tsx
index 2ad935a..1cc9469 100644
--- a/src/components/games/GameList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/games/GameList.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react'
 import { GameItem, ImagePreloader } from '@/components/games'
-import { ActionType } from '@/components/buttons'
+import { ActionType, Button } from '@/components/buttons'
+import { Icon, refresh } from '@/components/icons'
 import { Game } from '@/types'
 import LoadingIndicator from '../common/LoadingIndicator'
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ interface GameListProps {
   onEdit?: (gameId: string) => void
   onSmokeAPISettings?: (gameId: string) => void
   onRate?: (gameId: string) => void
+  onRefresh: () => void
   reportingEnabled?: boolean
 }
 
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ interface GameListProps {
  * Main game list component
  * Displays games in a grid with search and filtering applied
  */
-const GameList = ({ games, isLoading, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRate, reportingEnabled }: GameListProps) => {
+const GameList = ({ games, isLoading, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRate, onRefresh, reportingEnabled }: GameListProps) => {
   const [imagesPreloaded, setImagesPreloaded] = useState(false)
 
   // Sort games alphabetically by title
@@ -45,7 +47,18 @@ const GameList = ({ games, isLoading, onAction, onEdit, onSmokeAPISettings, onRa
 
   return (
     <div className="game-list">
-      <h2>Games ({games.length})</h2>
+      <div className="game-list-header">
+        <h2>Games ({games.length})</h2>
+        <Button
+          variant="secondary"
+          size="medium"
+          onClick={onRefresh}
+          title="Refresh"
+          className="refresh-button"
+          leftIcon={<Icon name={refresh} className="icon-secondary" variant="solid" size="md" />}
+          iconOnly
+        />
+      </div>
 
       {!imagesPreloaded && games.length > 0 && (
         <ImagePreloader
diff --git a/src/hooks/useGames.ts b/src/hooks/useGames.ts
index 5278970..2d19d7c 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useGames.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useGames.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useState, useCallback, useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 import { Game } from '@/types'
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core'
 import { listen } from '@tauri-apps/api/event'
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export function useGames() {
     progress: 0,
   })
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const hasLoadedRef = useRef(false)
 
   // LoadGames function outside of the useEffect to make it reusable
   const loadGames = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -91,9 +92,13 @@ export function useGames() {
       }
     }
 
-    // Initialize event listeners and then load games
+    // Initialize event listeners and then load games. Guarded by a ref
+    // (not isInitialLoad state) so this effect only ever runs once putting
+    // isInitialLoad in the dep array would re-subscribe the listeners the
+    // moment it flips to false, needlessly tearing down and recreating them.
     setupEventListeners().then(() => {
-      if (isInitialLoad) {
+      if (!hasLoadedRef.current) {
+        hasLoadedRef.current = true
         loadGames().catch(console.error)
       }
     })
@@ -102,7 +107,7 @@ export function useGames() {
     return () => {
       unlisteners.forEach((fn) => fn())
     }
-  }, [loadGames, isInitialLoad])
+  }, [loadGames])
 
   // Helper function to update a specific game in state
   const updateGame = useCallback((updatedGame: Game) => {