The State of LaunchBox on Android

[Jason Carr]

8 hours ago, mushmash said:

When we buy into launchbox, we buy into the support that comes with that, if you aren't making enough on it to continue, then you should have charged more, we are more than willing to support when it goes both ways, this just feels like you can't be bothered, because you think something will happen, android emulators will continue to function long after android 11, the mistake may have been relying on retroarch to do all your heavy lifting. 

I will repeat, if you feel you've been ripped off, we're more than happy to get you a refund. I understand you're upset, but the last thing we're going to do is waste time on development for a stale platform when we could be being productive elsewhere, such as on the desktop. That's just not wise.

We've never been an emulator developer, and to suggest that we become one is ridiculous, frankly. That's not something that would be possible on top of everything else that we do for any development company of our size.

8 hours ago, polygonslayer said:

Shame, but understandable. At the end of the day you gotta do what makes financial sense, especially in these crazy times

Yeah, if it was only financial sense, we would probably continue it. But that on top of the uncertainty adds up to way too many issues.

4 hours ago, kasperkaal said:

That means no LB for me anymore. So sad about this. Back to Arc Browser for my emulation setup I guess

Sorry to disappoint.

[mushmash]

"stale platform" hmmm, sounds like this is something you should have never started... sad to hear.

[Jason Carr]

44 minutes ago, mushmash said:

"stale platform" hmmm, sounds like this is something you should have never started... sad to hear.

Yup, at this point I agree that we should have never started it. But hindsight is 20/20. We started it because it was voted on by the community, and we always strive to do what the community wants. Unfortunately it ended up biting us, but it is what it is. Like I said, we may come back to it if Android gets past these growing pains.

[necroticart]

Thanks for being up front with the issues on the android OS. I bought the android version because you always work to make your software the best it can be. That said I believe you did the best you could and understand the reason for you stopping development. I look forward to seeing what comes next on the windows version of launch box. My only recommendation is that you team up with y2guru and integrate his Community Theme Creator into Launch Box and add more functionality . It's already an amazing application that really benefits the community and helps grow the user base by making Theme creation easy. 

[Jason Carr]

1 hour ago, necroticart said:

Thanks for being up front with the issues on the android OS. I bought the android version because you always work to make your software the best it can be. That said I believe you did the best you could and understand the reason for you stopping development. I look forward to seeing what comes next on the windows version of launch box. My only recommendation is that you team up with y2guru and integrate his Community Theme Creator into Launch Box and add more functionality . It's already an amazing application that really benefits the community and helps grow the user base by making Theme creation easy. 

Much agreed, the theme creator is incredible and we're so grateful to @y2guru for it, and all his work. We have actually been collaborating with him quite a bit lately.

[Hemin]

Hi,

I have uninstalled the launchbox because I have problems importing games, and what is my surprise that I can't download the app again. I come to the forum and see that not only launchbox is discontinued, launchbox is retired from the google play.

I understand that program a new launchbox from the scratch it's hard and maybe you can't get enough money back compared to the time inverted, but I think you should give the option to,

1. Give the opportunity to download the app to the people who purchased the full version

2. A purchase refund.

You guys are doing a good job with launchbox for Windows, fast, infinite options and the wonderful Box mode with themes. May be people expect a Big Box mode before spend 10$ on the app (or 5$ for beta), but I think launchbox should be a separated program from the desktop. I think Android users expects a "bigbox" app because the lack of theses kind of apps on the OS, there is no emulationstation, hyperspin, etc.

Regards

[Jason Carr]

3 hours ago, Hemin said:

Hi,

I have uninstalled the launchbox because I have problems importing games, and what is my surprise that I can't download the app again. I come to the forum and see that not only launchbox is discontinued, launchbox is retired from the google play.

I understand that program a new launchbox from the scratch it's hard and maybe you can't get enough money back compared to the time inverted, but I think you should give the option to,

1. Give the opportunity to download the app to the people who purchased the full version

2. A purchase refund.

You guys are doing a good job with launchbox for Windows, fast, infinite options and the wonderful Box mode with themes. May be people expect a Big Box mode before spend 10$ on the app (or 5$ for beta), but I think launchbox should be a separated program from the desktop. I think Android users expects a "bigbox" app because the lack of theses kind of apps on the OS, there is no emulationstation, hyperspin, etc.

Regards

Google Play should allow you to re-download the app. I've tested this and it does for us. If Google isn't, then I don't really know why and you'll probably have to contact Google in order to ask. Things like this are out of our control, which is just another reason why the platform is a problem.

If you'd like a refund, please email us at support@unbrokensoftware.com with your order ID.

[Jason Carr]

By the way, we've had a couple users saying that it's still available for purchase on the Play Store, which is just not true at all. It's been gone since the day we posted this topic on April 10th. No purchases have come in since then either, so we know 100% that this is the case.

[neil9000]

Just now, Jason Carr said:

By the way, we've had a couple users saying that it's still available for purchase on the Play Store, which is just not true at all. It's been gone since the day we posted this topic on April 10th. No purchases have come in since then either, so we know 100% that this is the case.

It's probable the people still seeing it are the ones who already purchased it, so it's still available to download for them.

[Jason Carr]

Just now, neil9000 said:

It's probable the people still seeing it are the ones who already purchased it, so it's still available to download for them.

Yes, as it should be. I guess they're just making false assumptions.

[neil9000]

Just now, Jason Carr said:

Yes, as it should be. I guess they're just making false assumptions.

Yup, just because they still see it doesnt mean that people who havent already purchased it do. Like any online store you can re-download previous purchases, but people searching for it on the store who are not previous purchasers WILL NOT see it for sale.

[elgdrama]

estoy muy desilusionado con todo esto.... he pagado la versión para android hace unos meses y muy contento y ahora ya no aparece el botón de enviar colecciones a android desde launchbox... un desastre vamos.

[dmb062082]

I do not feel ripped off. I do feel heartbroken.  The shield is such an amazing system. I bought several to put in all of my kids rooms. Your front end was already rock solid on the android. I was willing to donate.

Emulation on the shield is so well done I was literally saying good bye to my windows PC and gravitating towards the shield permanently for living room and arcade builds. 

 Guess this means I'll have to go back to that crapy hyperspin port to android. Or reset which I have just paid for but am afraid to get behind.

 If You are killing the project can you at least give us paying customers the last Beta APK? You said there were some new views?? Or refund. Is there harm in giving us the last apk before you killed it?

Your android version is so solid on the shield I can probably get away with using it for a couple of years.

[Wally]

I was not happy, I had posted about it, when Jason had announced the Android port. I was worried because Android is a strange OS, built for other things in mind AND also because resources would be taken from the Windows version.  PERSONALLY, playing games in a 6 inch screen with an attached third party pad (!!) or in an underpowered chinese box, seems meaningless. I opt for 100% emulation and realism. Android takes steps back.

I am happy that Launchbox returns "full steam" to Windows. Lots of nice things can be done. God speed guys.

PS:Jason is the most humble dev I have encountered in the emu community. Accusing him about ripping-off (for God's sake, 5$ is your morning coffee) is crazy.

 

[Hemin]

18 hours ago, neil9000 said:

Yup, just because they still see it doesnt mean that people who havent already purchased it do. Like any online store you can re-download previous purchases, but people searching for it on the store who are not previous purchasers WILL NOT see it for sale.

I found the way to download the app if you purchased it. You have to go to "my games and apps"  and then tab "collections". if you search on the main section it don't appears so I was confused on the beginning

[MazJohn [Mr Arcade]]

Thanks For this update Jason.....

While the majority of your install base are currently Exclusively using Launch-box/Big-box on the windows platform and I do prefer/ agree development should be the primary focus here, I did purchase an android copy just to help support its development efforts.

This being said, the Android announcement did get me thinking. My concerns for Launch-box longevity are more focused around the worry that in 5-10 years, ARM may takeover.... We might need a migration path or plan if this does ever occur... Launch-box has become a platform in itself for those who love and *rely* on emulation/gaming. These builds and all the hard work put into them can technically run for years and provide steady access to these gaming platforms, as long as the HOST OS platform and emulators are updated and supported....  yea... we cant predict the future and Windows likely isn't going anywhere for a long time.....  but ARM might change things... hopefully if so there will be a migration path if needed to support whatever the future brings so that our beloved Launch-box builds can stay up to date....

\\

Edited April 20, 2020 by MazJohn [Mr Arcade]

[Wally]

Launchbox is built on Visual Studio. I think this is the most future proof solution.

Even if CPUs change, Visual Studio will follow.

Android is a nice OS for phones. 

[Jason Carr]

3 hours ago, MazJohn [Mr Arcade] said:

Thanks For this update Jason.....

While the majority of your install base are currently Exclusively using Launch-box/Big-box on the windows platform and I do prefer/ agree development should be the primary focus here, I did purchase an android copy just to help support its development efforts.

This being said, the Android announcement did get me thinking. My concerns for Launch-box longevity are more focused around the worry that in 5-10 years, ARM may takeover.... We might need a migration path or plan if this does ever occur... Launch-box has become a platform in itself for those who love and *rely* on emulation/gaming. These builds and all the hard work put into them can technically run for years and provide steady access to these gaming platforms, as long as the HOST OS platform and emulators are updated and supported....  yea... we cant predict the future and Windows likely isn't going anywhere for a long time.....  but ARM might change things... hopefully if so there will be a migration path if needed to support whatever the future brings so that our beloved Launch-box builds can stay up to date....

\\

We'll consider going back to Android if the market share changes significantly, but I really doubt that it will. Emulation is haphazard on Android partially because developers are still focusing on Windows, as they should be. It may seem like it's good, but compared to Windows it's honestly a train wreck. I had major issues with everything from horrible latency to even just simply closing emulators so that a new game can be started. It has come a very long way, but it's still got a long way to go, and Google seems to be choosing to get in the way of it instead of helping it out.

[Grimoz]

Its sad that you cant continue the Android version development but with so little revenue to be made I think its the right choice to stick to the PC Version. I own both and to be honest the Android version was more of a curious purchase than anything,  also to support your work but i didn't really use it and probably wouldn't have too much in the future, i find mounting storage etc in android painful which really puts me off gaming on it.

 

[NOVASPRITE]

I came to the board just to check on the Android scene and find this sad news.  Thanks Jason for your efforts.  The Ap paid for itself after the first day I used it.  It was a sweet dream with lots of promise. Hope to see Launchbox on mobile phones in the future.