📋 Summary
Add an official way for plugins to cancel a game launch before it begins.
❗ Problem
Plugin developers can currently respond to game launch events, but there is no clear supported way to stop a launch from continuing.
This forces developers to rely on unsafe workarounds, such as temporarily changing launch settings or redirecting the launch to a dummy application. These workarounds can be fragile and may risk altering a user’s emulator or game configuration.
💡 Proposal
Add a supported launch cancellation option to the plugin API.
When a plugin runs before a game or additional app launches, it should be able to safely cancel that launch and optionally provide a reason that can be shown to the user.
🧩 Use Cases
A plugin blocks launching when required files are missing
A plugin prevents launch until a custom confirmation prompt is accepted
A parental control or playtime plugin cancels launches based on rules
A plugin checks dependencies before allowing an emulator to start
📦 Benefits
Makes launch-related plugins safer
Prevents accidental changes to emulator or game configuration
Gives plugin developers a clean supported workflow
Improves reliability for custom launch validation tools
Helps users understand why a launch was stopped
⚠️ Considerations
The cancellation design should avoid breaking existing plugins. It may be better to add a new cancellable launch event or launch arguments object rather than changing existing plugin behavior directly. Cancellation should work consistently in both LaunchBox and Big Box.
