LaunchBox vs Lutris

LaunchBox is a game collection frontend and manager for modern PC games and emulated console games. It can import Steam and GOG games, ROM files, and MS-DOS games, then retrieve box art and metadata from its Games Database along with fan art, screenshots, and logos. Collections can be arranged and filtered by genre, platform, ESRB rating, developer, and publisher, with custom status and source fields. The Windows app supports Windows 10 and higher, with Windows 10 and 11 described as fully supported. LaunchBox for Android is free for collections of 100 games or fewer; it shares the games database, media, and portable XML data with Windows, and Windows data can be exported to Android. Premium adds themes, Big Box mode, gamepad automation, startup and pause screens, and display customization. The Regular Windows license costs $30 as a one-time purchase and includes a year of free updates. The maker says Premium is DRM-free and can be deployed to as many personal devices as desired. Windows data can also be moved by copying the app to another folder or computer.

Lutris is a free, open-source gaming platform for Linux that brings games from different eras and systems into one client. It connects to Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Humble Bundle, while also integrating with launchers such as Battle.net, EA App, and Ubisoft Connect. Runners provide compatibility layers, emulators, and game-engine reimplementations for games from different platforms. Downloads and installations can be automated and adjusted through user-made scripts. Lutris presents itself as a video game preservation platform and does not sell commercial games; users install titles purchased from other stores. It supports current Linux distributions and recommends up-to-date graphics drivers, Vulkan, and 32-bit OpenGL and Vulkan libraries. For Windows games, it recommends installing Wine through the system package manager. Steam Deck instructions cover installation from Discover in Desktop Mode and creating Steam shortcuts. The project notes that distribution compatibility can cause issues and suggests disabling its runtime when troubleshooting.