Among the most popular game distribution platforms for PC gamers, Launchbox is there to help you organize your game selection in a tidy place, indifferent of the installation technique.
Launchbox was first a graphical interface for DOSBOX, an emulator for old DOS games. It now offers much more, including support for trending games and various emulation platforms. This means that you can have, for instance, your preferred Nintendo ROMs, the original PlayStation ISOs, and your modern games, all together, in the same dashboard.
Unfortunately, Launchbox is only available for Windows, but the developers are working on a solution to offer it to Linux users as well. To install Launchbox, simply head to the platform’s official website and provide your email address. You will receive an email with a download link, support videos, and a variety of guides. After the download is completed, start the installer.
How to Add Your Games in Launchbox
When launching the app for the first time, the option to scan your PC for games appears, giving you six variants to choose from, according to the kind of games you want to add. For instance, if you want to import your Windows games, select the ‘Search for Windows Games’ option. Click on ‘Next,’ and wait a while until your folders are searched. Your games will then show up in the Launchbox dashboard.
If you want to import games from specific platforms, such as GOG, the app will only search for games you have installed. Adding your Steam games will show the games you have acquired but are not located on your computer.
After you are done, if you would like to add more games in the future, select ‘Tools’ from the top side of the app, then ‘Import,’ and choose your platform.
Big Box for TV Game Playing
A great feature Launchbox has, is the Big Box interface for TV. The option allows you to play retro or PC games on a larger screen. However, you will need to acquire a Launchbox Premium license to have access to the Big Box interface.
Launchbox Premium offers access to Big Box and extra support for gamepad controllers and custom themes. The Premium option comes with a single $20 fee for a lifetime license, with one year of upgrades. Lifetime updates are also possible for $50.
You can acquire a Launchbox Premium registration on the platform’s official website. After you purchased a subscription, import your license by selecting the ‘Free Version’ option in the top-left of the Launchbox screen. Next, click on ‘Browse’ and add your license file.
To start Big Box, you can hit Ctrl and B on your keyboard, or select ‘Big Box’ from the Launchbox menu in the dashboard.
