LaunchBox

From Emulation General Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
LaunchBox
Launchbox-logo.png
Developer(s) Jason Carr
Latest version 13.17 [+]
Active Yes
Platform(s) Windows, Android
Architecture(s) x86
Type Launcher, frontend
Programmed in C#
Website launchbox-app.com
License Proprietary

LaunchBox is a frontend for Windows and Android developed by Unbroken Software, LLC. The primary developer is Jason Carr, who originally developed it to improve his experience with DOSBox but the program became highly customizable over time.

LaunchBox today is program agnostic, having been used by BlueMaxima for Flashpoint before its standalone launcher was introduced. LaunchBox is proprietary freeware, but it has a premium version that includes an HTPC UI called Big Box. It also includes a metadata scraper for some platforms.

Carr has previously explored porting LaunchBox to Linux using Mono.[1]

There used to be an Android version on the Google Play Store, but development stopped for some time and the app was removed from the app store in April 2020 due to it generating too little revenue and taking up about as much development time as the Windows version. Fortunately, as of August 24, 2021, development for the Android version has resumed and can be downloaded from the official LaunchBox website.[2]

Download[edit]

  Free version
Has limitations. Download requires e-mail.

  Premium version (BigBox)
$30 Regular License, which gives you permanent premium license, but for software updates, it requires $15 renewal after one year of getting updates. $75 Forever-Updates License.
  Experimental Linux support
Forum page about Linux support using Wine.
  Android version
Free version has limitations (max of 100 games can be imported). Download requires e-mail. DRM-free permanent license is $25.

References[edit]

  1. Unbroken Software. LaunchBox for LINUX!? Who's interested...? January 22, 2018. YouTube.
  2. The State of LaunchBox on Android, created on April 10, 2020, last updated on August 24, 2021.