Don't want to see articles from a certain category? When logged in, go to your User Settings and adjust your feed in the Content Preferences section where you can block tags!
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

RetroArch gets a Steam release bringing emulation to even more gamers

By - | Views: 20,628

While it might not be the first application to provide emulation on Steam it's probably one of the biggest projects as RetroArch is not a single emulator. Instead, it provides a tidy user interface to get lots of different emulators, as well as play media and all sorts. It's most well-known as a platform for emulators though.

After being available in a Steam Playtest for some time, today marks the official Steam release. Right now the amount of cores (what RetroArch refers to as emulators / games, done via their plugin system) available are limited but it's going to expand over time with each available as a Steam DLC.

To pre-empt the "but why on Steam, you could always get it from x/y/z" comment - the answer is simple. As with any Steam release, it puts a fresh set of eyes on it and opens it up to more people to download it and keep it up to date with the rest of your Steam library.

It seems one of the ways they've gotten around copyright / trademark issues is to not name the systems the cores on Steam emulate. You will find they're not directly named on any of the DLC pages. Here's the currently available cores to download on Steam as DLC:

  • Final Burn Neo - a multi-arcade machine emulator
  • Genesis Plus GX - Sega Genesis / Mega Drive, Sega/Mega CD, Master System, Game Gear, SG-1000 & Pico
  • Mesen S - SNES
  • Mesen - NES
  • mGBA - GameBoy Advanced
  • SameBoy - Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Super Game Boy
  • Stella - Atari 2600
  • Kronos - Sega Saturn
  • Mupen64Plus-Next - Nintendo 64
  • PCSX ReARMed - PlayStation

Find it now on Steam.

When the Steam Deck releases, this is going to help turn it into such an awesomely varied machine. I honestly cannot tell you how excited I am about having them together so easily.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
18 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
9 comments

pb Sep 14, 2021
Anyone knows how good this core is? https://docs.libretro.com/library/puae/
Normally I'm using FS-UAE and it even used to have a "steamos build", but not any more.
Either way I would absolutely love to replay some of my favourite Amiga games on Steam Deck.
jordicoma Sep 14, 2021
Hope it's a mistake. All dlc/emulators on the system requeriments says that needs windows.
If we have retroarch without cores, it's useless.
kokoko3k Sep 14, 2021
Quoting: pbAnyone knows how good this core is? https://docs.libretro.com/library/puae/
Normally I'm using FS-UAE and it even used to have a "steamos build", but not any more.
Either way I would absolutely love to replay some of my favourite Amiga games on Steam Deck.
It works, but it is so much handy to use fs-uae-launcher instead.
I bet it will work on SteamOs 3.0 too, i think we'll see a lot of external repos or flatpak images, so no need to use UAE under retroarch, add an external app to steam and start it.
slaapliedje Sep 14, 2021
Quoting: kokoko3k
Quoting: pbAnyone knows how good this core is? https://docs.libretro.com/library/puae/
Normally I'm using FS-UAE and it even used to have a "steamos build", but not any more.
Either way I would absolutely love to replay some of my favourite Amiga games on Steam Deck.
It works, but it is so much handy to use fs-uae-launcher instead.
I bet it will work on SteamOs 3.0 too, i think we'll see a lot of external repos or flatpak images, so no need to use UAE under retroarch, add an external app to steam and start it.
Would be nice if we had a full port of WinUAE. FS-UAE is great, but very unstable for some things (like PPC emulation).

So it sounds like RetroArch is only the Windows version in Steam? That is... unfortunate. I would think they would have put all platforms in there...

On a side note. The Genesis collection on Steam allows you to use the Steam Workshop and crafty people have added other games to it. So for that platform at least, there is little need for RetroArch.
CatKiller Sep 14, 2021
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Quoting: slaapliedjeSo it sounds like RetroArch is only the Windows version in Steam? That is... unfortunate. I would think they would have put all platforms in there...

RetroArch itself, PCSX ReARMed, and SameBoy list Linux support. Whether the others are a labelling oversight, or reflective of issues determined during the playtest period, I couldn't say, but I expect the rest will list it too, over time, either way.
Blaster-PR Sep 14, 2021
I download it, and the dlc seems to be for windows, I have to manually copy the cores? It is possible to enable online updater on the steam client retoarch?
slaapliedje Sep 15, 2021
Quoting: Blaster-PRI download it, and the dlc seems to be for windows, I have to manually copy the cores? It is possible to enable online updater on the steam client retoarch?
Yeah, at least for now I think the flatpak version is still probably the correct way to install it. Steam is sandboxed in a different way, and it is weird.
BielFPs Sep 15, 2021
My favorite Steam deck game
slaapliedje Sep 17, 2021
Quoting: BielFPsMy favorite Steam deck game
Ha, I'm hoping we'll be able to get new batteries for the thing... as my ~3000 steam library count, along with many libraries of games I have that are supported via retroarch.... I may be wearing that thing out.
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.