Adding cores to RetroArch

In this guide, I will instruct you on how to download and install cores for Steam RetroArch

Finding the cores

You will (probably) need to do this every time RetroArch gets an update, if you want your cores to be as up to date as possible.

First, navigate to https://buildbot.libretro.com/stable/

Expand the folder if necessary until it looks like this image:

Select the folder for the latest stable version (currently 1.10.3, may vary)

Open the correct platform folder.

If you don't know what this means, and are on a desktop computer, click Windows.

If you are doing this on your Steam Deck, click Linux.

If you are one of the few still running a 32-bit computer, click x86. Otherwise, click x86-64.

Download and Install Cores

Now, you will download RetroArch_cores.7z from the directory you navigated to.


Once you have done that, you will need to extract them to where they need to go.

You may need to download 7-zip to do this. I will have a section at the bottom of this guide for this. If you can't extract the files please scroll all the way down.

First, extract them to somewhere you can find easily, be it your Downloads folder, your desktop, pretty much anywhere is fine.

Once you have done that, navigate to your extracted folder, then RetroArch-Win64 (or your architecture), then cores.

Select all and COPY every file here.

Once you have done that, you will need to find where you installed RetroArch to via Steam.


As seen in the picture, you can do that by finding RetroArch in your Steam Library, right clicking it, clicking properties, clicking Local Files, and clicking Browse.

This should open the RetroArch folder in your file browser. Open the cores folder that should be here and then PASTE your clipboard.

I recommend against overwriting the cores that RetroArch manages via DLC, as they will 'update' and fix themselves via Steam Update before launching your game.

Download the Info files

You should only need to do this once, unless RetroArch adds support for completely new cores at a later date.

You will need to download the info files from https://buildbot.libretro.com/assets/frontend/info.zip

If you are following the guide for the first time, and are using Windows, go to the file browser window your cores are open in, go up one level, and open the info folder.

If you are not following the guide for the first time, follow the steps necessary to open your Steam RetroArch folder, then open the info folder.

You can extract info.zip directly to your Steam RetroArch/info folder if desired, or do it the same way you did the cores. Once again, don't overwrite files that already exist, and you should be fine.

Note: If you are using a Steam Deck or other GNU/Linux based operating system, the info files can be put in the same folder with the core files.

7zip (archive extractor)

7-zip is basically WinRar, but better.

It handles basically every format known to man and it's free (as in freedom) as well as free (as in cost) software.

It does it's job and stays out of your way otherwise. What more can a guy ask for?

Anywho, you're probably wondering which version you need to download. They make it pretty dang simple for you to figure it out.



When you open an archive in 7zip for the first time, this will be what you are presented with (with different files, maybe)

You'll want to click extract (Don't ask me why it's represented with a minus sign)






In the specific case of this guide, you can copy the file directory from your open file explorer window, which should be in your RetroArch info folder, and paste it into the one and only text field.

P.S. Those are meant to be backslashes, not Yen signs. They are Yen signs because I have Japanese Locale enabled. Thanks Windows.

Thanks for reading

If you found this guide helpful, please tell your friends about it.
Happy Gaming!

[Jabroni]

I can see all the .so in zip applications but when I try to extract all to core it will only make a 1gb empty folder with no cores visible to copy out into the core folder

It worked when I selected one individual core and told it to extract to the core location but for each individual one? I don't even see the ones I need lol

[Himitsu 🌈]

Incredibly helpful guide, one of the best on Steam. My sincere thank yous!

[Neopolitan]

Yes, pcsx2 has been extremely hostile to the RetroArch devs.

[wangjiajun]

thanks for Your guide, I do as your instruction, but seems PS2 cannot run in steam RA?

[Ɛ: ʎɥɔʇɐԀ]

had to resort to getting PC-98 emulator from non-steam retroarch since people behind buildbot are sane beings that do not want to go into that whole PC-98 rabbit-hole-fuckery thing, but well... desperate problems require equally desperate solutions

[Neopolitan]

You're welcome!

[Ɛ: ʎɥɔʇɐԀ]

Thankie, now i can properly play PC-98 touhous

[Neopolitan]

l-lewd

[Chack]

Thank you very much. I'd kiss you in the mouth if I could.

[HenryDarkLordOfDeath]

Unfortunately it always crashes when i lunch any non-steam cores. Even contentless core like 2048 will crash it.