diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/cmake-pybind11.patch b/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/cmake-pybind11.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5bcf5b1d9b2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/cmake-pybind11.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+diff --git a/src/python/CMakeLists.txt b/src/python/CMakeLists.txt
+index 911e280..d484943 100644
+--- a/src/python/CMakeLists.txt
++++ b/src/python/CMakeLists.txt
+@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
+ find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development.Module REQUIRED)
+ 
+-include(FetchContent)
+-FetchContent_Declare(
+-    pybind11
+-    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/pybind/pybind11
+-    GIT_TAG v2.10.0)
+-FetchContent_MakeAvailable(pybind11)
+-
++find_package(pybind11 REQUIRED)
+ add_library(ale-py MODULE ale_python_interface.cpp)
+ # Depend on the ALE and pybind11 module
+ target_link_libraries(ale-py PUBLIC ale ale-lib)
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5a2893349eaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/ale-py/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+{ buildPythonPackage
+, SDL2
+, cmake
+, fetchFromGitHub
+, git
+, gym
+, importlib-metadata
+, importlib-resources
+, lib
+, ninja
+, numpy
+, pybind11
+, pytestCheckHook
+, python
+, pythonOlder
+, setuptools
+, stdenv
+, typing-extensions
+, wheel
+, zlib
+}:
+
+buildPythonPackage rec {
+  pname = "ale-py";
+  version = "0.8.0";
+  format = "pyproject";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "mgbellemare";
+    repo = "Arcade-Learning-Environment";
+    rev = "v${version}";
+    sha256 = "sha256-OPAtCc2RapK1lALTKHd95bkigxcZ9bcONu32I/91HIg=";
+  };
+
+  patches = [
+    # don't download pybind11, use local pybind11
+    ./cmake-pybind11.patch
+  ];
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    cmake
+    setuptools
+    wheel
+    pybind11
+  ];
+
+  buildInputs = [
+    zlib
+    SDL2
+  ];
+
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [
+    typing-extensions
+    importlib-resources
+    numpy
+  ] ++ lib.optionals (pythonOlder "3.10") [
+    importlib-metadata
+  ];
+
+  checkInputs = [
+    pytestCheckHook
+    gym
+  ];
+
+  postPatch = ''
+    substituteInPlace pyproject.toml \
+      --replace 'dynamic = ["version"]' 'version = "${version}"'
+    substituteInPlace setup.py \
+      --replace 'subprocess.check_output(["git", "rev-parse", "--short", "HEAD"], cwd=here)' 'b"${src.rev}"'
+  '';
+
+  dontUseCmakeConfigure = true;
+
+  pythonImportsCheck = [ "ale_py" ];
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    description = "a simple framework that allows researchers and hobbyists to develop AI agents for Atari 2600 games";
+    homepage = "https://github.com/mgbellemare/Arcade-Learning-Environment";
+    license = licenses.gpl2;
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ billhuang ];
+    broken = stdenv.isDarwin; # fails to link with missing library
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 0b9ac35ef5fb..2c8945f53617 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -372,6 +372,8 @@ self: super: with self; {
 
   alarmdecoder = callPackage ../development/python-modules/alarmdecoder { };
 
+  ale-py = callPackage ../development/python-modules/ale-py { };
+
   alectryon = callPackage ../development/python-modules/alectryon { };
 
   alembic = callPackage ../development/python-modules/alembic { };