A friendly warning from a long-time user: NeoStation shows what LaunchBox used to be

[dov_EL]

I’m writing this as someone who has respected and used LaunchBox for years.
What you’ve built is powerful, feature-rich, and historically important for the emulation community.

But I think it’s time for an honest reflection.

LaunchBox has grown into a monolith.
Every update added value, but also weight: databases, media, caching, plugins, UI layers. On modern PCs it’s manageable, but on handhelds, secondary machines, or mixed setups, the experience is increasingly heavy.

This is not a criticism of effort or competence — it’s the natural outcome of long-term success.

Now a new project is emerging: NeoStation.
It’s still early, but its roadmap already shows a very different philosophy:

lightweight, RetroArch-first

cloud-native save syncing

multi-device continuity

minimal UI that loads only what’s needed

In short: it feels like what LaunchBox used to be — fast, focused, and flexible.

This is not about competition in features.
It’s about architecture and direction.

NeoStation doesn’t try to replace LaunchBox today, but it highlights a risk:
new users may start valuing speed, lightness, and portability over encyclopedic completeness.

I’m not saying LaunchBox should “become NeoStation”.
That’s unrealistic and would break too much.

But maybe this is the right moment to ask:

Can performance and footprint become first-class priorities again?

Can some core paths be simplified or modularized?

Can LaunchBox remain future-proof in a world of handhelds, Linux, and cloud continuity?

This post is not an attack.
It’s a sign of respect — and a reminder that even the best tools must evolve not only by adding, but sometimes by rethinking.

Many of us still want LaunchBox to lead.
We just don’t want it to become too heavy to follow the future.

— A long-time user who still believes in this project

[damageinc86]

I don't see any presentation in their screenshots that uses a clear logo for the game?  Are there any views that do at least have clear logo, box art, and other basic artwork pieces for the game?  I wouldn't really want to go back to just plain text game lists.  That's the entire reason why I'd want to use a front end.

Also curious, are you able to map each one of your controllers independently for navigating the front end interface?  Launchbox still just applies one button set to all controllers you have plugged in for navigating big box.  Which leaves you guessing as to which button on which controller is going to start the game, or move back, etc.  

[Jabb3rJaw]

On 12/19/2025 at 2:53 PM, dov_EL said:

I’m writing this as someone who has respected and used LaunchBox for years.
What you’ve built is powerful, feature-rich, and historically important for the emulation community.

But I think it’s time for an honest reflection.

LaunchBox has grown into a monolith.
Every update added value, but also weight: databases, media, caching, plugins, UI layers. On modern PCs it’s manageable, but on handhelds, secondary machines, or mixed setups, the experience is increasingly heavy.

This is not a criticism of effort or competence — it’s the natural outcome of long-term success.

Now a new project is emerging: NeoStation.
It’s still early, but its roadmap already shows a very different philosophy:

lightweight, RetroArch-first

cloud-native save syncing

multi-device continuity

minimal UI that loads only what’s needed

In short: it feels like what LaunchBox used to be — fast, focused, and flexible.

This is not about competition in features.
It’s about architecture and direction.

NeoStation doesn’t try to replace LaunchBox today, but it highlights a risk:
new users may start valuing speed, lightness, and portability over encyclopedic completeness.

I’m not saying LaunchBox should “become NeoStation”.
That’s unrealistic and would break too much.

But maybe this is the right moment to ask:

Can performance and footprint become first-class priorities again?

Can some core paths be simplified or modularized?

Can LaunchBox remain future-proof in a world of handhelds, Linux, and cloud continuity?

This post is not an attack.
It’s a sign of respect — and a reminder that even the best tools must evolve not only by adding, but sometimes by rethinking.

Many of us still want LaunchBox to lead.
We just don’t want it to become too heavy to follow the future.

— A long-time user who still believes in this project

Hyperspin 2.0 is in beta also which I am excited to try when it’s out of beta. I will have to try NeoStation as well. I thought Launchbox and Bigbox would be the last thing I would need for my cab but as you stated it’s getting slower and crashes too much. 

[dragon57]

On 12/20/2025 at 5:15 PM, damageinc86 said:

I don't see any presentation in their screenshots that uses a clear logo for the game?  Are there any views that do at least have clear logo, box art, and other basic artwork pieces for the game?  I wouldn't really want to go back to just plain text game lists.  That's the entire reason why I'd want to use a front end.

Also curious, are you able to map each one of your controllers independently for navigating the front end interface?  Launchbox still just applies one button set to all controllers you have plugged in for navigating big box.  Which leaves you guessing as to which button on which controller is going to start the game, or move back, etc.  

According to their Discord, the existing 'theme', if you will, will not change in the short and medium term. Long term plans are to allow something like that. The author was going for something like the SteamDeck interface initially.

[damageinc86]

And per controller navigation mapping?

[dragon57]

5 hours ago, damageinc86 said:

And per controller navigation mapping?

Since this is an early alpha version for the currently supported platforms, there is no support as of yet. It has basic gamepad support and also since it was originally heavily dependent on Retroarch and its support, I am sure this will come, eventually.

[Kefka2b]

Tried it but for now it's not really more than a PoC, can't use my Dualsense, can't choose which core to use in Retroarch (at least from what I can see) and no customisation possible so we'll have to wait and see how this turns out, but it's not surprising it's fast since it's so bare bones for now.

The interface is interesting, mainly the achievements navigation.

[dov_EL]

11 hours ago, Kefka2b said:

Tried it but for now it's not really more than a PoC, can't use my Dualsense, can't choose which core to use in Retroarch (at least from what I can see) and no customisation possible so we'll have to wait and see how this turns out, but it's not surprising it's fast since it's so bare bones for now.

The interface is interesting, mainly the achievements navigation.

 

[Kefka2b]

Only imported Snes for testing and didn't have the option.

[dragon57]

39 minutes ago, Kefka2b said:

Only imported Snes for testing and didn't have the option.

If you are talking the Retroarch core selection for a console/platform, hit ESC on the keyboard on the main screen. The currently active selection will show the core selection screen after the ESC sequence. If you have a gamepad working, there is a mapping for bringing the core selection screen also.

[dov_EL]

7 hours ago, Kefka2b said:

Only imported Snes for testing and didn't have the option.

Select console -> Start button

[bundangdon]

After trying it out and several other frontends over the past 10 - 20 years, I have to say NeoStation is an interesting project and it's definitely nice to have some friendly competition with other frontends like this one, but it's nowhere near what Launchbox/BigBox is or was. And I have a feeling that once it becomes more developed and adopts many of the same features that are used in Launchbox, it will likely become "increasingly heavy" too. As for the Android version of Launchbox, that's a completely different story as there are definitely better options available such as Daijisho, EmulationStation, Beacon, etc. Although, it's nice to have Launchbox as an available option, and I certainly hope that NeoStation will become a popular frontend of choice for Android in the near future as well.

[dragon57]

I finally circled back to NeoStation today and noticed the current build has the beginnings of themed support, especially the default theme has some optional looks now whereas before you got the one and done version.

[Shredder_guitar]

I panicked for a moment after reading this. I literally just switched from Hyperspin to launchbox and have been setting it up for the past year... I don't have the mental fortitude to withstand switching again...that said, I checked out an AIO setup guide for neo station....meh...underwhelming. It's a different flavor of the same shit. All of these different dev teams are competing against each other and it seems like they all suffer from the same problem....automation where they shouldn't be or things are juuuuust broken enough to keep a community together and keep them talking, but not well functioning enough to set it and forget it. 
The cycle for neostation will be this...

 

1. New shiney update. 
2. a big push for development and features.
3. Some weak level of standardization
4. Modifications and tweaks from the community
5. Additional features that end up breaking the platform instead of enhancing it
6. fizzle to abandonment 
7. Move on to the next shiny thing.

In my personal opinion a better approach would be to have front end dev teams and back end dev teams and those teams develop their platform in such a way to make the front ends interchangeable....like a semi switching a trailer. I would be more willing to change front end software and it's ultimately less development work, That way, I'm just setting up a new front end to bolt on to my existing assets and configurations...rather than starting from scratch with my assets and structuring things under that flavor of requirements under a different brand...to do that every few months or years is just exhausting when you have a behemoth setup like i do. . 

No thanks, not for me. The more and more of these emu frontends come out, the more i see a risk of paywalls in weird places. Launchbox has an introductory paywall and I'm fine with that, that makes sense... But I can foresee people starting to capitalize on syncing for assets and artworks with the way these platforms are being designed....that's going to be a sad day for a lot of people.  I value just a solid working platform customized to my exact specifications and just prefer to leave it at that. The only reason that I jumped ship on hyperspin is because the community began sucking, HS1 broke, HS2 was horribly under developed when first launching and decisions were being made that i can already anticipate will run into costs for users...and not small costs, any concerns were ignored...that's not how a healthy community functions, especially from people who have been long-time contributors. 
Anyway, I won't be chasing neo station at this point time. 

Edited 22 hours ago by Shredder_guitar

[zugswang]

20 hours ago, Shredder_guitar said:

I panicked for a moment after reading this. I literally just switched from Hyperspin to launchbox and have been setting it up for the past year... I don't have the mental fortitude to withstand switching again...that said, I checked out an AIO setup guide for neo station....meh...underwhelming. It's a different flavor of the same shit. All of these different dev teams are competing against each other and it seems like they all suffer from the same problem....automation where they shouldn't be or things are juuuuust broken enough to keep a community together and keep them talking, but not well functioning enough to set it and forget it. 
The cycle for neostation will be this...

 

1. New shiney update. 
2. a big push for development and features.
3. Some weak level of standardization
4. Modifications and tweaks from the community
5. Additional features that end up breaking the platform instead of enhancing it
6. fizzle to abandonment 
7. Move on to the next shiny thing.

In my personal opinion a better approach would be to have front end dev teams and back end dev teams and those teams develop their platform in such a way to make the front ends interchangeable....like a semi switching a trailer. I would be more willing to change front end software and it's ultimately less development work, That way, I'm just setting up a new front end to bolt on to my existing assets and configurations...rather than starting from scratch with my assets and structuring things under that flavor of requirements under a different brand...to do that every few months or years is just exhausting when you have a behemoth setup like i do. . 

No thanks, not for me. The more and more of these emu frontends come out, the more i see a risk of paywalls in weird places. Launchbox has an introductory paywall and I'm fine with that, that makes sense... But I can foresee people starting to capitalize on syncing for assets and artworks with the way these platforms are being designed....that's going to be a sad day for a lot of people.  I value just a solid working platform customized to my exact specifications and just prefer to leave it at that. The only reason that I jumped ship on hyperspin is because the community began sucking, HS1 broke, HS2 was horribly under developed when first launching and decisions were being made that i can already anticipate will run into costs for users...and not small costs, any concerns were ignored...that's not how a healthy community functions, especially from people who have been long-time contributors. 
Anyway, I won't be chasing neo station at this point time. 

FYI, Hyperspin 1.5 still working fine to this day.

Nothing comes close to it even now, over a decade later. Paired with RocketLauncher it's the best there is.

You can literally though as much as you like at it and it never slows down. I have 650+Systems on both LB and HS and lets just says LB doesn't work too well.

As for Hyperspin 2.0 ......... 🤣

What a pile of trash that is ... even when completed it's just a clone of Launchbox.

They have spent so long trying to encrypt it all that nobody will be using it for years to come ... if ever.

Edited 2 hours ago by zugswang

[Shredder_guitar]

37 minutes ago, zugswang said:

FYI, Hyperspin 1.5 still working fine to this day.

Nothing come close to it even now, over a decade later. Paired with RocketLauncher it's the best there is.

As for Hyperspin 2.0 ......... 🤣

What a pile of trash that is ... even when completed it's just a clone of Launchbox.

They have spent so long trying to encrypt it all that nobody will be using it for years to come ... if ever.

I know it's working now, after it broke cuz of windows updates that was a big enough window for me to say 'ok f*ck this, I'm going to give this launchbox thing a try'..... I tried to keep the setups seperate, but with launchboxes requirements of automated way of doing things, I just went all in on launchbox and it's configurations...a year later I'm still in process of transitioning my stuff over so i can completely archive hyperspin and rlauncher. The setup...comparitaively has been quicker, most of the work i've had to do in Launchbox is more just customizations and artwork gap fillings, rather then 'why doesn't this damn module launch my game'...so that's been nice... overall I feel i've gained ground faster with launchbox....launchbox has a few shortcomings and they are REALLY big ones...but thankfully there are only a few.  There were some growing pains, but on the upside, I've been able to consolidate from using 29 different emulators down to only 13 + a bunch of standalone setups that must remain local. I like the idea of having a centralized database to sync artwork assets, but the subjective bureaucracy on 'what is proper and what is not'  I can do without. My emulators are more static in nature these days, meaning i don't have things changing and moving around all the time via scripting so it means less things break and it's more 'set it and forget it' now...so that's nice. 

HS 2 is a f*cking joke. I would have been more open minded if they didn't tell an entire community of contributors over the years 'f*ck you, this is what we're doing, like it or not, leave.'....that's really messed up. It felt more like an attack than progress, honestly. And your last statement is VERY consistent with that....they want to monetize it, they just aren't saying it outloud yet. and that's not fair to a lot of people who helped build this stuff.... the same could be said for all these platforms though... but that one hit the hardest for me because I had been lurking and contributing since 2010-ish.
 

Edited 1 hour ago by Shredder_guitar