June 2026 Release Notes

Another busy stretch. Here’s what’s new since the last update.

1Retro on Linux

The desktop app now runs on Linux. If you play on a Steam Deck, a handheld running desktop Linux, or just a regular machine, your saves sync alongside everything else.

A few things I sweated to make it feel native:

Pick a folder, no broad access required. The app uses your desktop’s file picker, so it only ever sees the folder you point it at, not your whole disk.
It shows you the real path. Even inside a sandbox, the picker displays the actual location on your machine instead of some opaque internal path.
Box art comes along. Cover art now downloads and caches locally, so your library looks like your library.

Both Intel/AMD and ARM64 builds are available. If something on your setup misbehaves, tell us on discord.

I am waiting to open source the sync engine before I commit a Steam Deck specific version to Flathub, which would allow people to install directly from Discover.

Syncing got faster and sturdier

If you have a big library or a slow device, this is the update for you.

It streams instead of slurping. ROM hashing and transfers no longer load whole files into memory, so large ROMs and modest devices stop choking.
Smarter cloud tracking. I changed how 1Retro tracks the state of your cloud saves, which quietly removes a whole class of false conflicts.
Groundwork for multi-file saves. Some systems store one “save” as several files. The plumbing to handle those as a single unit is now in place.

Better systems and formats handling

OpenEmu and RetroArch routing got more reliable, so downloaded saves land in the right place even with unusual playlist and core setups.
The game catalog itself keeps growing as we ingest more reference databases.

MiSTer grew up

The MiSTer tool now has proper login, logout, sync, and watch commands, plus a daemon script that logs in and starts watching for changes on its own. Set it once and forget it.

Real subscriptions

Billing is now wired up end to end.

Cancel at period end, and change your mind and resume a scheduled cancellation before it takes effect.
A grace window on failed payments, so a single declined card doesn’t instantly drop your paid features. You’ll see a clear banner if something needs attention.
A dedicated subscription page with the plans laid out inline, plus new Plus and Pro tiers.

Promo codes can now carry different kinds of rewards and be redeemed after signup, not just during it. Speaking of which: if you’ve read this far, rnotes-266 is good for 20MB of free storage. Drop it into Settings, under Redeem a Code. It expires at the end of the month, so don’t sit on it.
Referrals are two-sided: you and the friend you invite both get a bonus, shown live on your dashboard.
A newsletter, with a real double opt-in so you only ever get mail you actually asked for.

Under the hood

For the technically curious: a lot of this was made possible by a deep rework of the sync engine. I split the storage backends into their own crates, gave hashes and IDs strong types so the compiler catches whole categories of mistakes, and unified login and sync state across all of our command-line tools. None of it is visible directly, but it’s why the streaming and conflict fixes above could happen safely.

What’s next

More platforms for the desktop and handheld apps, more save formats and directory layouts, and continued catalog growth. Open sourcing the sync engine and working towards a unified save format. As always, if your setup isn’t working the way it should, come tell us on discord or the forums.