Frequently Asked Questions

Emberware was a small company that made game consoles. The Emberware Archive is an open source project preserving those consoles through accurate emulation. Play the games on modern systems, with added features like rollback netcode for online multiplayer.

Emberware is fictional — a creative platform dressed up as hardware preservation. Think of it like UFO 50's fictional console generations, or the lore behind a tabletop RPG setting. The consoles never existed, but the games you make for them are very real.

Yes! Emberware is 100% free and open source. There are no licensing fees, no revenue sharing, and no paid tiers. Both the player and development tools are completely free to use, even for commercial games.

Emberware runs on Windows (10+), macOS (11+), and Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+). We support both Intel and Apple Silicon on macOS. All versions include the same features.

Some games can run in modern web browsers using WebAssembly, but the native desktop player provides the best experience with full controller support, offline play, and optimal performance.

No! You can browse and play games without an account. However, creating a free account lets you save your game library, sync cloud saves across devices, and upload your own games.

First, download the Emberware player for your platform. Then browse games on this site and click "Download & Play" on any game. The game will automatically open in the player.

Yes! Emberware supports all major gamepads and most generic USB/Bluetooth controllers. Controllers are automatically detected and mapped. You can also remap buttons in the player settings.

Emberware uses deterministic rollback netcode, which means online play feels lag-free even with moderate ping. Just click "Play Online" in any multiplayer-enabled game and you'll be matched with other players or can invite friends directly.

Yes! Once you've downloaded a game, you can play it offline anytime. Cloud saves will sync the next time you're online.

Emberware games are written in Rust. The platform provides a simple API focused on game logic, graphics, and input. You don't need to be a Rust expert—our Getting Started guide walks you through everything.

Basic programming knowledge helps, but you don't need prior game dev experience. Emberware's constraints (limited resolution, fixed framerate, retro graphics) make it easier to create complete games compared to modern engines.

Currently, Emberware doesn't support paid games or in-platform purchases. All games must be free to play. However, you retain full rights to your games and can sell them elsewhere if you'd like.

Sign in to your account, go to your Dashboard, and click "Upload Game". You'll need to provide a compiled ROM file, title, description, and optional icon/screenshots. Games are reviewed automatically and published within minutes.

Games must not contain illegal content, malware, or excessive violence/gore. We're building a platform appropriate for schools and developers of all ages. Adult content and gambling are not allowed.

Yes! Upload a new version anytime from your Dashboard. Players will automatically get the update next time they launch the game.

Emberware uses OpenGL 3.3+ or Vulkan 1.0+ depending on your platform. The console itself emulates classic fixed-point affine texture mapping for authentic retro visuals.

ROM files are limited to 50 MB. This is intentional—it encourages efficient asset use and fast downloads. Most Emberware games are under 10 MB.

Not officially yet, but since Emberware is open source, you can modify the player yourself. We're exploring official mod support for a future release.

Absolutely! Emberware is open source on GitHub. We welcome bug reports, feature requests, and pull requests. Check our contributing guide to get started.

On first launch, macOS may block the app because it's downloaded from the internet. Right-click the Emberware app in Finder and select "Open", then click "Open" in the security dialog. After that, you can launch it normally.

Make sure your graphics drivers are up to date. Emberware targets 60fps on modest hardware, but very old GPUs may struggle. Check that no other apps are using excessive CPU/GPU resources.

Rollback netcode works best with ping under 150ms. Check your internet connection and try playing with someone geographically closer. Wired connections are always better than WiFi for online gaming.

Open the Emberware player and check your Library tab. All downloaded games appear there. If it's missing, try downloading it again from the website.