diff --git a/docs/new-features.md b/docs/new-features.md
index c3e6d30f..70d15d2a 100644
--- a/docs/new-features.md
+++ b/docs/new-features.md
@@ -458,6 +458,13 @@ automatically, so the tab opens on an "Add an index" prompt until you name
 one; paste an index URL or its `owner/repo` and it is remembered in
 `options.lua`. More than one index can be added, and the listings merge.
 
+A feed author can publish per-mod release stats by adding three optional
+fields to an entry -- `downloads` (total across every release), and
+`first_release` / `last_release` (ISO days) -- which the listing shows in
+the same gold line the MODS tab uses. The fields are additive: feeds that
+carry them stay readable by every build that predates them, and feeds that
+do not render exactly as before.
+
 ## Soft reset (all versions)
 
 Holding A, B, START and SELECT together restarts the game the way flicking
diff --git a/src/import/LauncherView.lua b/src/import/LauncherView.lua
index 94506d86..3f92176b 100644
--- a/src/import/LauncherView.lua
+++ b/src/import/LauncherView.lua
@@ -1167,13 +1167,9 @@ local function buildModsPanel(imp, parent, m)
     -- counts, so a pre-downloads cache entry costs the line, not a wrong "0".
     local dlLine
     if info and info.downloads then
-      local formatted = ModUpdate.formatCount(info.downloads.total)
-      if info.dates then
-        dlLine = Strings("%s downloads across all releases  -  Released %s  -  Updated %s",
-          formatted, info.dates.first, info.dates.latest)
-      else
-        dlLine = Strings("%s downloads across all releases", formatted)
-      end
+      local d = info.dates
+      dlLine = ModUpdate.statsLine(info.downloads.total,
+        d and d.first, d and d.latest)
     end
 
     -- measure the body: name (with the badge beside it only when it fits),
@@ -1441,9 +1437,17 @@ local function buildFindPanel(imp, parent, m)
   local btnH = math.ceil(textHeight(chipSize)) + 14
   for _, entry in ipairs(rows) do
     local action, note = findActionFor(entry, installed[entry.id])
+    -- Feed-published release stats (downloads, first/last release date) in
+    -- the same gold line the MODS tab uses; absent until a feed carries them.
+    local statsLine
+    if entry.downloads ~= nil or entry.first_release or entry.last_release then
+      statsLine = ModUpdate.statsLine(entry.downloads,
+        entry.first_release, entry.last_release)
+    end
 
     local bodyH = math.ceil(textHeight(titleSize))
       + 4 + math.ceil(textHeight(smallSize))
+    if statsLine then bodyH = bodyH + 4 + wrapHeight(smallSize, statsLine, bodyW) end
     if note then bodyH = bodyH + 4 + wrapHeight(smallSize, note, bodyW) end
     if entry.summary and entry.summary ~= "" then
       bodyH = bodyH + 4 + wrapHeight(smallSize, entry.summary, bodyW)
@@ -1488,6 +1492,9 @@ local function buildFindPanel(imp, parent, m)
     end
     label(body, meta, smallSize, C("detail"),
       { width = "100%", textWrap = false, textOverflow = "ellipsis" })
+    if statsLine then
+      label(body, statsLine, smallSize, C("gold"), { width = "100%" })
+    end
     if note then label(body, note, smallSize, C("green"), { width = "100%" }) end
     if entry.summary and entry.summary ~= "" then
       label(body, entry.summary, smallSize, C("detail"), { width = "100%" })
diff --git a/src/mods/ModIndex.lua b/src/mods/ModIndex.lua
index 481669cc..9bb71542 100644
--- a/src/mods/ModIndex.lua
+++ b/src/mods/ModIndex.lua
@@ -174,6 +174,13 @@ local function parseEntry(raw)
     conflicts = raw.conflicts,
     thumbnail = str(raw.thumbnail),
     description_url = str(raw.description_url),
+    -- Optional release stats a feed author can publish: total downloads
+    -- across all releases plus first/last release dates.  Additive-only,
+    -- so a feed that carries them stays readable by every build that
+    -- predates them (and one that does not still renders fine here).
+    downloads = tonumber(raw.downloads),
+    first_release = str(raw.first_release),
+    last_release = str(raw.last_release),
     latest = parseLatest(raw.latest),
     update_check = str(raw.update_check) or "pending",
   }
diff --git a/src/mods/ModUpdate.lua b/src/mods/ModUpdate.lua
index ff872232..774e1a6c 100644
--- a/src/mods/ModUpdate.lua
+++ b/src/mods/ModUpdate.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ local ModUpdate = {}
 
 ModUpdate.CACHE_TTL = 6 * 60 * 60  -- six hours
 
+local Strings = require("src.core.Strings")
+
 local function stripV(tag)
   return (tostring(tag):gsub("^[vV]", ""))
 end
@@ -237,6 +239,24 @@ function ModUpdate.formatCount(n)
   return (s:gsub("^,", ""))
 end
 
+-- The one-line stats string both launcher panels show: "1,234 downloads
+-- across all releases  -  Released 2024-05-31  -  Updated 2026-07-01".
+-- Each part is optional; nil everywhere means nil, so a row with no data
+-- shows no line rather than a wrong "0".
+function ModUpdate.statsLine(total, first, latest)
+  local parts = {}
+  if total ~= nil then
+    parts[#parts + 1] = Strings("%s downloads across all releases",
+      ModUpdate.formatCount(total))
+  end
+  if first or latest then
+    parts[#parts + 1] = Strings("Released %s  -  Updated %s",
+      first or "?", latest or "?")
+  end
+  if #parts == 0 then return nil end
+  return table.concat(parts, "  -  ")
+end
+
 -- ------- cache (options.modUpdateCache[repo])
 
 local function cacheStore()
diff --git a/tests/engine/mod_index_tests.lua b/tests/engine/mod_index_tests.lua
index b4a6174f..82076453 100644
--- a/tests/engine/mod_index_tests.lua
+++ b/tests/engine/mod_index_tests.lua
@@ -110,6 +110,27 @@ do
     "the release asset URL survives parsing")
   eq(m.permissions[1], "engine_internals", "permissions are kept")
   eq(m.update_check, "ok", "update_check is kept")
+  check(m.downloads == nil and m.first_release == nil and m.last_release == nil,
+    "a feed without release stats parses them as absent")
+end
+
+-- release stats a feed can publish: total downloads and first/last dates
+-- ride along additively, so a feed carrying them stays readable by every
+-- build that predates them
+do
+  local withStats = {}
+  for k, v in pairs(NUZLOCKE) do withStats[k] = v end
+  withStats.downloads = 1234
+  withStats.first_release = "2024-05-31"
+  withStats.last_release = "2026-07-01"
+  local index = ModIndex.parse(feed({ withStats }))
+  local m = index.mods[1]
+  eq(m.downloads, 1234, "total downloads are kept")
+  eq(m.first_release, "2024-05-31", "first release date is kept")
+  eq(m.last_release, "2026-07-01", "last release date is kept")
+  withStats.downloads = "9999"
+  m = ModIndex.parse(feed({ withStats })).mods[1]
+  eq(m.downloads, 9999, "numeric-string downloads are coerced")
 end
 
 -- schema_version is a contract, not a hint: an unknown one is refused rather
diff --git a/tests/engine/mod_update_tests.lua b/tests/engine/mod_update_tests.lua
index ae7c2c00..1e3bb9c3 100644
--- a/tests/engine/mod_update_tests.lua
+++ b/tests/engine/mod_update_tests.lua
@@ -183,6 +183,22 @@ eq(ModUpdate.formatCount("12345"), "12,345", "numeric strings are accepted")
 eq(ModUpdate.formatCount(nil), "0", "nil formats as zero")
 eq(ModUpdate.formatCount("garbage"), "0", "garbage formats as zero")
 
+-- statsLine: the shared launcher row line, part by part
+eq(ModUpdate.statsLine(1234567, "2024-05-31", "2026-07-01"),
+  "1,234,567 downloads across all releases  -  Released 2024-05-31  -  Updated 2026-07-01",
+  "full stats line")
+eq(ModUpdate.statsLine(82, nil, nil),
+  "82 downloads across all releases",
+  "downloads alone")
+eq(ModUpdate.statsLine(nil, "2024-05-31", "2026-07-01"),
+  "Released 2024-05-31  -  Updated 2026-07-01",
+  "dates alone")
+eq(ModUpdate.statsLine(0, nil, nil),
+  "0 downloads across all releases",
+  "a real zero still shows")
+check(ModUpdate.statsLine(nil, nil, nil) == nil,
+  "no data at all means no line")
+
 -- cacheUsable: a cache entry from before downloads existed must not be
 -- trusted, everything current is
 do