Caroline Harper

Hi everyone, I’m setting up PlayStation 2 games in LaunchBox and wanted to get some advice from people who’ve already dialed this in. I’ve noticed that PS2 emulation can behave differently depending on emulator versions, BIOS files, and per-game settings. Sometimes a game runs fine on one version and has issues on another, which makes library management a bit tricky. How are you all handling this inside LaunchBox? Do you stick to a single emulator version, or do you keep multiple versions configured for compatibility? Also, what’s your preferred way of organizing BIOS files so LaunchBox stays clean and easy to maintain? I followed a detailed setup and BIOS guide recently that helped clarify a few things during my testing, so I’m curious how closely your setups match common recommendations: AetherSX2 APK Would appreciate hearing how others approach this, especially for larger PS2 libraries. Thanks!

There isn’t a setting or config option for this at the moment. The delete confirmation is intentional to avoid accidental permanent deletion. Removing a game from a playlist and deleting it from the library uses the same action right now.

Thanks for clarifying 👍 Yes, I was mainly referring to Android. That matches my experience as well AetherSX2 has been very stable for me so far. Appreciate the confirmation and insight!

This usually happens when RetroArch keeps control of the gamepad after it closes, so BigBox doesn’t get the controller back. Try these steps: In RetroArch, make sure you fully quit RetroArch (not just “Close Content”). Use “Quit RetroArch” so it releases the controller. In BigBox/LaunchBox, enable the option that closes the emulator process on exit (force close on exit), so RetroArch can’t stay running in the background. If you use Steam Input for the DualSense, turn it off for RetroArch and BigBox, or make sure only one of them is using it. Conflicts can cause the pad to stop responding. Try switching the controller driver in RetroArch (XInput vs SDL) and keep it consistent with what BigBox expects. As a quick test, exit RetroArch, then check Task Manager and end any remaining RetroArch process. If the controller works immediately after that, the issue is RetroArch not exiting cleanly. If you share how you launch RetroArch (standalone, Steam, or through a launcher) and which input driver you selected, it’s easier to narrow down.

I wanted to ask which PS2 emulator people here find works best. I have been using AetherSX2 for a while now. So far, I have not noticed any major problems or crashes. Games run smoothly in my setup. I am curious to hear about other experiences and what emulators others prefer.

Sorry for the confusion. By warning, I meant the message shown by the tool about setup or configuration limits, not an actual error. In my case, everything works, but the tool still shows a warning based on how it checks the setup. That’s why I said it seems more like a tooling check than a real issue.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. That clears up why the warning is showing and how the checks work. I understand that it is more about tooling limits than an actual user issue. I will review the setup again with this in mind.

This error usually points to corrupted or invalid data in the LaunchBox database, often related to imported metadata or media. Here are a few steps that typically resolve this: Backup your LaunchBox folder first. Go to your LaunchBox directory and open the Data folder. Try temporarily renaming the Platforms.xml and Games.xml files (for the platform that crashes) and then restarting LaunchBox. This helps identify if a specific platform or game entry is causing the index error. If LaunchBox opens after that, the issue is almost always a bad game entry or malformed metadata. You can re-import that platform cleanly. Also, check Tools → Manage → Platforms and remove any empty or duplicate platforms. Make sure you are running the latest stable release, not the beta, unless specifically asked by support. If the crash happens during imports, try disabling image and metadata downloads temporarily and re-import. If the issue persists, posting the full Diagnostics ZIP (Help → Upload Diagnostics) will help the devs pinpoint exactly which entry is causing the crash.

Steam screenshots can cause crashes during media downloads. Try disabling Steam screenshots in Tools → Options → Images → Steam, or remove the screenshots folder so LaunchBox doesn’t scan it. This should stop the crashes until a proper fix is available.

That’s a very cool and unique use of LaunchBox. Never thought of using it as a scrollable desktop wallpaper before. Would love to hear more about the scripts you used and how it performs long-term.