Paradox Launcher vs RetroArch
Paradox Launcher
paradoxinteractive.comRetroArch
retroarch.comSide by side
| Figure | Paradox Launcher | RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 6.9 (#54) | 9.1 (#6) |
| Founded | 1999 | 2012 |
| Privacy | Paradox says it does not sell personal data and may share it with partners under safeguards. | The privacy policy says third-party vendors including Google use advertising cookies on some of the project’s websites. |
| Purpose | Paradox describes the product as a launcher for its games. | RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players that runs classic games through a graphical interface with unified settings. |
| Support | Paradox support instructs users to export launcher logs from Launcher Settings and attach them to a support ticket if troubleshooting fails. | The FAQ directs users to the forums, Discord and documentation for help. |
Plans
In their own words
Paradox Launcher
Paradox Launcher has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing them under a unified settings system. The RetroArch/Libretro project includes more than 200 cores across those categories. Its menu can group scanned games by system and display thumbnails and animated backgrounds. Common game controllers configure automatically when plugged in, and button actions can also be assigned manually.
Stackable shaders can change rendered graphics or imitate the look of CRT monitors. Built-in netplay supports hosting or joining network gaming sessions, including spectator mode. RetroArch can record gameplay to video files and stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Versions are listed for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and web browsers. RetroArch is free and open source under GPL version 3; the libretro API uses an MIT license. Features differ by platform and store version: the browser edition has lower performance and fewer capabilities than the full version, while Steam lacks Core Updater and thumbnail scraping and offers a selected core set.