Launchbox isn't opening retroarch games

[starfiretbt]

Launchbox isn't opening retroarch games. It's just opening retroarch despite the game being the file in the launching tab being the game file and not the emulator. Yes I'm clicking on the game and not just selecting "open retroarch."

Also instead of opening the game in the correct core it takes me to suggested cores (which is a really long list). But then I'm having to open the game from retroarch so I don't know if that's the reason.

I'm running windows 11 by the way.

[Jayinem]

You have to setup your associated platforms which match the name of the platform of your game and choose your core in there under the retroarch emulator in Launchbox. 

Example:

NIntendo 64 | Mupen64plus_next_libretro | default emulator checked. 

 

Then when you add the game (or add in bulk) you must call the Platform Nintendo 64 exactly to match and it will know to launch it under the correct core. You can call them whatever you want "N64" "Nintendo 64" they just need to match platform to associated platform. 

Edited May 10 by Jayinem

[starfiretbt]

On 5/9/2026 at 8:01 PM, Jayinem said:

You have to setup your associated platforms which match the name of the platform of your game and choose your core in there under the retroarch emulator in Launchbox. 

Example:

NIntendo 64 | Mupen64plus_next_libretro | default emulator checked. 

 

Then when you add the game (or add in bulk) you must call the Platform Nintendo 64 exactly to match and it will know to launch it under the correct core. You can call them whatever you want "N64" "Nintendo 64" they just need to match platform to associated platform. 

My associated platforms does have the right core from retroarch assigned to it, and my Nintendo 64 core is working fine. It's just my dosbox pure core when I'm emulating windows 98. It works fine with dos games but windows 98 games I have to go through retroarch to get them to run.

[Jayinem]

1 hour ago, starfiretbt said:

My associated platforms does have the right core from retroarch assigned to it, and my Nintendo 64 core is working fine. It's just my dosbox pure core when I'm emulating windows 98. It works fine with dos games but windows 98 games I have to go through retroarch to get them to run.

You didn't mention any of that in the original post about dosbox pure core, you just said Retroarch. 

[starfiretbt]

On 5/11/2026 at 3:26 PM, Jayinem said:

You didn't mention any of that in the original post about dosbox pure core, you just said Retroarch. 

My apologies. By the way, it's not all windows 98, it seems to be just one game that has the problem.

EDIT: Now it's all windows 98 games but one.

Edited July 27 by starfiretbt
Things have changed

[starfiretbt]

I'm still having problems with this. Launchbox does do this...

1. Recognizes the game file

2. Runs Retroarch

3. Runs the correct core which...

4. Runs the windows 98 operating system

5. But it does not load the file the game saves changes to and therefore only runs the initial game which is an installer. All saved data is gone.

Retroarch stores all game changes, such as the installed game and any changes done in the game such as saved game files, to another zip file in the LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch-Win64\saves directory.

How do I Launchbox to look at not only the zip the game is saved on but also the zip all changes to the game is saved on.

EDIT: I should also mention, everything works fine if I load the game from Retroarch. The game loads, the core loads, the windows 98 operating system loads, and the missing game data also loads. It just doesn't work from Launchbox.

Edited July 27 by starfiretbt
Forgot something