diff --git a/rust/src/replay.rs b/rust/src/replay.rs
index 06dafe7..1a476c5 100644
--- a/rust/src/replay.rs
+++ b/rust/src/replay.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ impl StandaloneReplayManager {
 
         thread::spawn(move || match fs::read(path) {
             Ok(mut bytes) => {
+                if let Err(e) = read_header(&mut bytes) {
+                    return send.send(ReplayReadEvent::Error(e.to_string()));
+                }
+
                 let cursor = Cursor::new(&mut bytes);
                 let decoder = GzDecoder::new(cursor);
 
@@ -665,6 +669,7 @@ impl ReplayRecorder {
 
         thread::spawn(move || {
             let mut bytes = Vec::new();
+            bytes.extend(produce_header());
             let encoder = GzEncoder::new(&mut bytes, Compression::default());
             match ciborium::into_writer(&replay, encoder) {
                 Ok(_) => match fs::write(path, bytes) {
@@ -928,3 +933,102 @@ pub struct ReplayTriggerableState {
     active: Option<u16>,
     active_for: f64,
 }
+
+const GAME_NAME: &str = "skullball";
+const MAJOR: u8 = match u8::from_str_radix(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MAJOR"), 10) {
+    Ok(res) => res,
+    Err(_) => 0,
+};
+const MINOR: u8 = match u8::from_str_radix(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MINOR"), 10) {
+    Ok(res) => res,
+    Err(_) => 0,
+};
+const PATCH: u8 = match u8::from_str_radix(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_PATCH"), 10) {
+    Ok(res) => res,
+    Err(_) => 0,
+};
+const VERSION: Version = Version {
+    major: MAJOR,
+    minor: MINOR,
+    patch: PATCH,
+};
+
+fn produce_header() -> Vec<u8> {
+    let mut bytes: Vec<u8> = Vec::new();
+    bytes.extend(GAME_NAME.as_bytes());
+    bytes.push(MAJOR);
+    bytes.push(MINOR);
+    bytes.push(PATCH);
+    bytes
+}
+
+fn read_header(bytes: &mut Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), HeaderReadError> {
+    if bytes.len() < (GAME_NAME.len() + 3) {
+        return Err(HeaderReadError::ReadIncomplete);
+    }
+
+    let mut name_bytes = Vec::with_capacity(GAME_NAME.len());
+    for _ in 0..GAME_NAME.len() {
+        name_bytes.push(bytes.remove(0));
+    }
+    let name = String::from_utf8(name_bytes).map_err(|_| HeaderReadError::InvalidTitle)?;
+    if name != GAME_NAME {
+        return Err(HeaderReadError::InvalidTitle);
+    }
+
+    let major = bytes.remove(0);
+    let minor = bytes.remove(0);
+    let patch = bytes.remove(0);
+    let version = Version {
+        major,
+        minor,
+        patch,
+    };
+    if version != VERSION {
+        return Err(HeaderReadError::InvalidVersion(version));
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub enum HeaderReadError {
+    ReadIncomplete,
+    InvalidTitle,
+    InvalidVersion(Version),
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for HeaderReadError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            HeaderReadError::ReadIncomplete => {
+                write!(f, "Header read incomplete, invalid replay file")
+            }
+            HeaderReadError::InvalidTitle => {
+                write!(f, "Invalid title in header, invalid replay file")
+            }
+            HeaderReadError::InvalidVersion(version) => write!(
+                f,
+                "Replay game version mismatch: {} != {}",
+                version, VERSION
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Eq)]
+pub struct Version {
+    pub major: u8,
+    pub minor: u8,
+    pub patch: u8,
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for Version {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        std::fmt::Display::fmt(&self.major, f)?;
+        write!(f, ".")?;
+        std::fmt::Display::fmt(&self.minor, f)?;
+        write!(f, ".")?;
+        std::fmt::Display::fmt(&self.patch, f)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}