diff --git a/scripts/pipeline.py b/scripts/pipeline.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c8fccc55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pipeline.py
@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Run the full retrobios pipeline: generate DB, verify, generate packs.
+
+Steps:
+  1. generate_db.py --force     (rebuild database.json from bios/)
+  2. refresh_data_dirs.py       (update Dolphin Sys, PPSSPP, etc.)
+  3. verify.py --all            (check all platforms)
+  4. generate_pack.py --all     (build ZIP packs)
+  5. consistency check          (verify counts == pack counts)
+
+Usage:
+    python scripts/pipeline.py                    # active platforms
+    python scripts/pipeline.py --include-archived # all platforms
+    python scripts/pipeline.py --skip-packs       # steps 1-3 only
+    python scripts/pipeline.py --offline          # skip step 2
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+
+
+def run(cmd: list[str], label: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Run a command. Returns (success, captured_output)."""
+    print(f"\n--- {label} ---", flush=True)
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=".")
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+
+    output = result.stdout
+    if result.stderr:
+        output += result.stderr
+
+    ok = result.returncode == 0
+    print(output, end="")
+    print(f"--- {label}: {'OK' if ok else 'FAILED'} ({elapsed:.1f}s) ---")
+    return ok, output
+
+
+def parse_verify_counts(output: str) -> dict[str, tuple[int, int, int, int]]:
+    """Extract per-group OK/total/wrong/missing from verify output.
+
+    Returns {group_label: (ok, total, wrong, missing)}.
+    Group label = "Lakka / RetroArch" for grouped platforms.
+    """
+    counts = {}
+    for line in output.splitlines():
+        if " files OK" not in line:
+            continue
+        label, rest = line.split(":", 1)
+        rest = rest.strip()
+        frac = rest.split(" files OK")[0].strip()
+        if "/" not in frac:
+            continue
+        ok, total = int(frac.split("/")[0]), int(frac.split("/")[1])
+        wrong = 0
+        missing = 0
+        if "wrong hash" in rest:
+            for part in rest.split(","):
+                part = part.strip()
+                if "wrong hash" in part:
+                    wrong = int(part.split()[0])
+                elif "missing" in part:
+                    missing = int(part.split()[0])
+        counts[label.strip()] = (ok, total, wrong, missing)
+    return counts
+
+
+def parse_pack_counts(output: str) -> dict[str, tuple[int, int, int, int, int]]:
+    """Extract per-pack files_packed/ok/total/wrong/missing.
+
+    Returns {pack_label: (packed, ok, total, wrong, missing)}.
+    """
+    import re
+    counts = {}
+    current_label = ""
+    for line in output.splitlines():
+        m = re.match(r"Generating (?:shared )?pack for (.+)\.\.\.", line)
+        if m:
+            current_label = m.group(1)
+            continue
+        if "files packed" not in line or "files OK" not in line:
+            continue
+        packed = int(re.search(r"(\d+) files packed", line).group(1))
+        frac_m = re.search(r"(\d+)/(\d+) files OK", line)
+        ok, total = int(frac_m.group(1)), int(frac_m.group(2))
+        wrong_m = re.search(r"(\d+) wrong hash", line)
+        wrong = int(wrong_m.group(1)) if wrong_m else 0
+        miss_m = re.search(r"(\d+) missing", line)
+        missing = int(miss_m.group(1)) if miss_m else 0
+        counts[current_label] = (packed, ok, total, wrong, missing)
+    return counts
+
+
+def check_consistency(verify_output: str, pack_output: str) -> bool:
+    """Verify that check counts match between verify and pack for each platform."""
+    v = parse_verify_counts(verify_output)
+    p = parse_pack_counts(pack_output)
+
+    print("\n--- 5/5 consistency check ---")
+    all_ok = True
+    matched_verify = set()
+
+    for v_label, (v_ok, v_total, v_wrong, v_miss) in sorted(v.items()):
+        # Match by label overlap (handles "Lakka + RetroArch" vs "Lakka / RetroArch")
+        p_match = None
+        for p_label in p:
+            # Check if any platform name in the verify group matches the pack label
+            v_names = {n.strip().lower() for n in v_label.split("/")}
+            p_names = {n.strip().lower() for n in p_label.replace("+", "/").split("/")}
+            if v_names & p_names:
+                p_match = p_label
+                break
+
+        if p_match:
+            matched_verify.add(v_label)
+            _, p_ok, p_total, p_wrong, p_miss = p[p_match]
+            checks_match = v_ok == p_ok and v_total == p_total
+            detail_match = v_wrong == p_wrong and v_miss == p_miss
+            if checks_match and detail_match:
+                print(f"  {v_label}: {v_ok}/{v_total} OK")
+            else:
+                print(f"  {v_label}: MISMATCH")
+                print(f"    verify: {v_ok}/{v_total} OK, {v_wrong} wrong, {v_miss} missing")
+                print(f"    pack:   {p_ok}/{p_total} OK, {p_wrong} wrong, {p_miss} missing")
+                all_ok = False
+        else:
+            # Grouped platform — check if another label in the same verify group matched
+            v_names = [n.strip() for n in v_label.split("/")]
+            other_matched = any(
+                name in lbl for lbl in matched_verify for name in v_names
+            )
+            if not other_matched:
+                print(f"  {v_label}: {v_ok}/{v_total} OK (no separate pack — grouped or archived)")
+
+    status = "OK" if all_ok else "FAILED"
+    print(f"--- consistency check: {status} ---")
+    return all_ok
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run the full retrobios pipeline")
+    parser.add_argument("--include-archived", action="store_true",
+                        help="Include archived platforms")
+    parser.add_argument("--skip-packs", action="store_true",
+                        help="Only regenerate DB and verify, skip pack generation")
+    parser.add_argument("--offline", action="store_true",
+                        help="Skip data directory refresh")
+    parser.add_argument("--output-dir", default="dist",
+                        help="Pack output directory (default: dist/)")
+    parser.add_argument("--include-extras", action="store_true",
+                        help="Include Tier 2 emulator extras in packs")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    results = {}
+    all_ok = True
+    total_start = time.monotonic()
+
+    # Step 1: Generate database
+    ok, out = run(
+        [sys.executable, "scripts/generate_db.py", "--force",
+         "--bios-dir", "bios", "--output", "database.json"],
+        "1/5 generate database",
+    )
+    results["generate_db"] = ok
+    if not ok:
+        print("\nDatabase generation failed, aborting.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 2: Refresh data directories
+    if not args.offline:
+        ok, out = run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py"],
+            "2/5 refresh data directories",
+        )
+        results["refresh_data"] = ok
+    else:
+        print("\n--- 2/5 refresh data directories: SKIPPED (--offline) ---")
+        results["refresh_data"] = True
+
+    # Step 3: Verify
+    verify_cmd = [sys.executable, "scripts/verify.py", "--all"]
+    if args.include_archived:
+        verify_cmd.append("--include-archived")
+    ok, verify_output = run(verify_cmd, "3/5 verify all platforms")
+    results["verify"] = ok
+    all_ok = all_ok and ok
+
+    # Step 4: Generate packs
+    pack_output = ""
+    if not args.skip_packs:
+        pack_cmd = [
+            sys.executable, "scripts/generate_pack.py", "--all",
+            "--output-dir", args.output_dir,
+        ]
+        if args.include_archived:
+            pack_cmd.append("--include-archived")
+        if args.offline:
+            pack_cmd.append("--offline")
+        if args.include_extras:
+            pack_cmd.append("--include-extras")
+        ok, pack_output = run(pack_cmd, "4/5 generate packs")
+        results["generate_packs"] = ok
+        all_ok = all_ok and ok
+    else:
+        print("\n--- 4/5 generate packs: SKIPPED (--skip-packs) ---")
+        results["generate_packs"] = True
+
+    # Step 5: Consistency check
+    if pack_output and verify_output:
+        ok = check_consistency(verify_output, pack_output)
+        results["consistency"] = ok
+        all_ok = all_ok and ok
+    else:
+        print("\n--- 5/5 consistency check: SKIPPED ---")
+        results["consistency"] = True
+
+    # Summary
+    total_elapsed = time.monotonic() - total_start
+    print(f"\n{'=' * 60}")
+    for step, ok in results.items():
+        print(f"  {step:.<40} {'OK' if ok else 'FAILED'}")
+    print(f"  {'total':.<40} {total_elapsed:.1f}s")
+    print(f"{'=' * 60}")
+    print(f"  Pipeline {'COMPLETE' if all_ok else 'FINISHED WITH ERRORS'}")
+    print(f"{'=' * 60}")
+    sys.exit(0 if all_ok else 1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()