When you think emulator frontends, there's a high chance that RetroArch comes to mind. Its simple design and ease of use have made it an incredibly popular application, for years and years. And now, you'll be able to officially use RetroArch from the comfort of Steam. In an attempt to legitimize and grow their brand, Libretro will be releasing RetroArch on Steam, at the end of the month. It'll launch on July 30th, for free, and on Windows only, initially, with a Linux and MacOS version to follow shortly after. There won't be any difference between the Steam build and the one you can get normally on Libretro's official site, but the team is looking into incorporating features from Steam's platform in the future. This feature follows a recent RetroArch update, which lets users directly dump their official game discs to their computer, allowing for easy backups. You'll also be able to take a Sega CD, Saturn, PlayStation 1, or 3D0 disc. put it in your PC's disc drive, and run it directly on RetroArch, with more consoles to be supported in the future.

There are also plans in the works for developers of older IPs to release their games on Steam, through using RetroArch, though no further details are known about that yet.

Source

 

[PRAGMA]

Awesome!

 

[ninjistix]

just wow, this is great news, until COUGHnintendontCOUGH has something to say about it.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

This won't have microtransactions right?

 

[supermist]

For years you've been able to launch RetroArch or any other emulator with a rom file/iso etc with special command lines so it would immediately launch the game upon selecting it in steam.

I really hope we'll have a way to do that with an official Steam version.

 

[kuwanger]

This is awesome. I do have to wonder, though, about how well this will play in the future. By that I mean, there are multiple Retroarch cores that are non-commercial. Yet with Retroarch in the Steam store, it'll be tempting for IP holders of NES/Genesis/Aracde games to start selling DLC associated with Retroarch. So, does cross the commercial threshold or not? Admittedly unlike SBC it's actually reasonable to use GPL cores so it could be a lot less of an issue. It does make me worry, though.

ninjistix is right, though. I can't imagine Nintendo (or Sony or Microsoft) like this. It'll greatly reduce the barrier for a lot of old IP holders to sell games cheaper without the big three getting a cut. Of course, Steam takes a pretty big cut of its own. One thing I'd like to see is a few more menu/frontends developed because there's a lot of people who find the current one lacking. I'd argue Valve should do it but while Big Picture mode might be nice for some, their standard client is pretty bad IMHO.

 

[NoNAND]

Could this be a smart move or not hmmm.
So does this mean that emulation won't be looked down upon and many gaming companies will redistribute their old classics through the retroarch front end.

 

[renjiVII]

This won't have microtransactions right?

$1 for each emulation dlc maybe.

 

[jt_1258]

Nintendo would like to know your location.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

$1 for each emulation dlc maybe.

But sega already has $0.99 roms of their genesis games on steam.

 

[renjiVII]

But sega already has $0.99 roms of their genesis games on steam.

discontinued from the store page? I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case after this comes out the 30th this month.

 

[PewnyPL]

Nintendo would like to know your location.

It's just emulators, they can't do anything.

 

[Ev1l0rd]

Hrmm I wonder how that will work out legally.

If they're intending to add the steamworks API, they could end up running afoul of the GPLv3. If they use the steamworks API, they would have to publicize the library they use for it under the GPLv3, and while I'm far from an expert, I recall Valve not wanting that.

As far as legalese goes from console devs, RA is just the frontend. It by default comes bundled with zero cores, so nobody can do much about that. And even then, the point is moot because emulators are 100% legal.

 

[Rabbid4240]

Imagine paying for roms and cores.

 

[SugoiEndeavor]

....I have no words.... Truly incredible

 

[Reecey]

Excellent news! Go get-um @m4xw well done about time you deserve it and also all @Team Libretro.

 

[AbyssalMonkey]

Hrmm I wonder how that will work out legally.

If they're intending to add the steamworks API, they could end up running afoul of the GPLv3. If they use the steamworks API, they would have to publicize the library they use for it under the GPLv3, and while I'm far from an expert, I recall Valve not wanting that.

As far as legalese goes from console devs, RA is just the frontend. It by default comes bundled with zero cores, so nobody can do much about that. And even then, the point is moot because emulators are 100% legal.

Sure, it's legal. That is, until a large corporation throws a million dollars towards US legislators and they make it illegal. It'll be an open and close case. Money solves everything in the US, you just gotta pay the congress. This holds true now more than ever.

 

[smileyhead]

just wow, this is great news, until COUGHnintendontCOUGH has something to say about it.

If Nintendo could DMCA RetroArch, they probably would've done it long ago. Emulators are technically legal and don't break any copyright laws.

 

[DaveLister]

Handpicked solution that delivers, well done finally one emulator to rule them all .

 

[bodefuceta]

no no no no no NO NOOOOO!!
DRM platforms are NOT where ROMs belong! This is VERY bad news for software preservation.