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Private/Local StoreFront

LaunchBox for Windows

šŸ“‹ Summary

Add support for managing a local folder of game installers and compressed game packages within LaunchBox.

ā— Problem

Some users keep offline backups of PC game installers, DRM-free games, homebrew games, or compressed game packages in local folders.

LaunchBox can manage installed games well, but it does not currently act like a local storefront where users can browse, install, launch, and manage games from installer files stored on their own drives.

šŸ’” Proposal

Allow users to choose one or more local folders for LaunchBox to scan for game installers or compressed packages.

Initial support could focus on simpler cases, such as:

  • Single-file installers like .exe or .msi

  • Compressed games such as .zip, .7z, or .rar

  • Basic filename matching to identify games

  • Running the installer or extracting the package

  • Letting the user confirm the installed game folder and launch executable

Later improvements could add better installer detection, multi-file installer support, uninstall handling, and smarter game matching.

šŸ§© Use Cases

  • Manage DRM-free installer backups from a local drive

  • Import homebrew or fan games distributed as archives

  • Reinstall games without manually browsing folders

  • Keep offline PC game collections organized inside LaunchBox

šŸ“¦ Benefits

  • Makes LaunchBox more useful for local PC game collections

  • Helps users manage installer backups

  • Reduces manual setup after installing or extracting games

  • Provides a foundation for more advanced local library management later

āš ļø Considerations

Save syncing, AI-assisted detection, cloud storefront support, and community-maintained save paths should likely be separate follow-up requests because they significantly increase complexity.

Posted by GameTag Ā·
Status: Open To Community2 comments

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Comments2

  • AstroBob

    Teamā€¢

    Jul 14

    Thanks for the detailed suggestion. There are a lot of interesting ideas here, but the full scope is very large, so weā€™d likely need to break it down into smaller feature requests.

    The strongest starting point seems to be support for a local installer library, where LaunchBox could scan selected folders for installers or compressed game packages and help users install, extract, identify, and launch those games.

    Other parts of the request, such as save syncing, multi-file installer detection, uninstall tracking, AI-assisted matching, and cloud-based private storefronts, would each add significant complexity and may be better handled as separate feature requests.

    For now, weā€™ve reframed this around the core use case: allowing LaunchBox to manage local game installers and archives from user-selected folders. That keeps the request focused, easier to evaluate, and more realistic to implement in stages.

    You may also want to upvote these:

    Cloud Sync for Saves & Save States

    Cloud Sync for Metadata, Playlists, and Game Settings

  • GameTag

    ā€¢

    Jul 14

    Private/Local StoreFront

    Make a root directory with multiple installers as StoreFront + saved games sync

    • Choose a directory/ies (using include/exclude)

    • LB scans the directory for installers

      • Yes, its not easy, but start with the easy cases - one file installer (exe/msi)

        • Game detection algorithm is required - Can use fuzzy search based on file name. I would use voting-system over multiple stores/games DBs.

        • Installation ā†’ run installer

          • First versions - when it ends, user enters installed directory

          • Later versions:

            • Detect silent installers (like MSI) so you can set the installed directory and know it without user

            • Use file watchers to detect target installation dir.

            • I know, no perfect solution, but its a start

        • Uninstall - run uninstaller

        • Sync saves games to directory (under [storefront dir]/savesync)

          • Save games sync can start with heuristics, but can get better - use community in LB games db. You can add LLM for those who have claude/openai subscription or API token.

        • Detect executable to run the game (maybe thereā€™s a .lnk, maybe .bat/.exe - obviously heuristics. again you can use community to build the database). You can add LLM for those who have claude/openai subscription or API token.

      • Support compress games (e.g., .zip/.rar/.7z)

        • Installation ā†’ simple, un-compress, youā€™ll know where is the installer dir.

        • Uninstall ā†’ delete

        • Game detection/Sync saved games/executable - same as installers

      • Support multi-file installers (e.g. X.exe, X1.bin, X2.bin and such)

        • Detection based on name

        • multi-file detection based on name/extension heuristic

        • Install/uninstall/game detection/sync/executable - same as installers

    Notes:

    • I would make it myself to LB but the plugin system doesnā€™t support it :-(

    • After the above, adding a cloud-based private storefront is trivial