ROG Xbox Ally: Playnite, RomM and saves everywhere

A handheld running Windows sounds great, until you have to find your games and your saves. Between the various launchers and the various apps you play with, everything ends up scattered.

Here is how I set up my ROG Xbox Ally to get a single retro library, with my ROMs served by my own server. Along the way, my saves exist in three copies and follow me from one device to another.

Overview

The idea: Playnite is the interface where you pick a game. It lists the games provided by RomM, then launches them via the Steam version of RetroArch.

Step 1: install Playnite

On the ROG Xbox Ally, I use Playnite in fullscreen mode. It is designed for gamepads and shows Steam games, games from other launchers and RomM games in a single interface.

Playnite can be downloaded from its official website:

1. Switch the ROG Xbox Ally to Desktop mode.
2. Download and install Playnite.
3. In Armoury Crate, add a shortcut to Playnite Fullscreen to launch it straight from the console interface.

Step 2: set up the RetroArch emulator

First, install RetroArch from Steam (it's free), then enable Steam Cloud in its properties if it isn't already.

By default, Playnite launches retroarch.exe directly. On a handheld, you then lose everything Steam brings:

• Steam Input and its controller profiles;
• the Steam overlay;
• playtime tracked on Steam;
• Steam Cloud, which syncs RetroArch saves;
• Remote Play Together.

My RetroArch (Steam) plugin creates a "RetroArch (Steam)" emulator in Playnite, with one profile per core. Each profile goes through steam.exe -applaunch 1118310 ... instead of launching the executable. The plugin also automatically downloads missing cores when a game is launched.

To install it: grab the .pext from the releases page and open it with Playnite.

Step 3: connect Playnite to RomM

RomM is a self-hosted ROM manager: it organizes the collection, fetches metadata and cover art, and serves the files to clients.

The official RomM extension bridges it with Playnite:

1. Install the extension from Playnite (Add-ons menu).
2. Enter the RomM server address and authenticate (credentials, API token or QR code).
3. Map each RomM platform to an emulator and a profile (the "RetroArch (Steam)" core).
4. Run the import: games show up in Playnite and are downloaded on demand.

The extension needs a RomM instance configured with IGDB API credentials. See the RomM documentation.

A big advantage of RomM: a ROM has the same file name on all my devices. And that is exactly the name RetroArch uses to name the save file. This is what makes saves portable from one device to another.

Step 4: enable RomM sync

Since version 0.9.0, the RomM extension can sync saves with the server. Just tick Enable save sync in its settings. Then:

• before launching a game, it fetches the latest save from the server;
• on exit, it uploads the local save;
• the Sync saves with RomM action, in a game's menu, forces a manual sync;
• in case of conflict, the most recent version wins.

To find the saves, the extension reads RetroArch's configuration directly: nothing to set up there either.

Pleasant surprise: the RomM extension's save sync works perfectly with our "RetroArch (Steam)" emulator, even though it goes through Steam. There is nothing more to configure.

The result: three copies of every save

In practice:

• if the console breaks, the saves are both on Steam and on my server;
• if my server is down, Steam Cloud takes over, and vice versa;
• on another device (desktop PC, Steam Deck…), just install RetroArch from Steam: Steam Cloud brings the saves back, whether the machine runs Windows or Linux;
• with another RomM client, sync goes through the server.

One save, many screens

Since RomM centralizes saves, I get my progress back whichever app I play with:

• the RomM web interface, which lets you play right in the browser;
• Argosy, the official RomM Android client;
• RetroArch (Steam), through Playnite on Windows.

So I can start a game on the ROG Xbox Ally, continue it on my phone on the train, then finish it in the browser.

Bonus: Remote Play Together

Since RetroArch is launched via Steam, Steam sees it like any other game. For a local multiplayer game (split screen, fighting games, party games…), I can invite a friend with Remote Play Together from the Steam overlay. They play from home, without owning RetroArch or the ROM.

Limitations to keep in mind

• Save states are not portable: they depend on the core and sometimes on its version. To continue a game on another device, rely on the in-game save rather than a save state.
• Two syncs run in parallel: Steam Cloud and RomM each have their own conflict logic. In practice, playing on one device at a time is enough to avoid surprises.
• Systems with folder-based saves (PS2, PSP, GameCube, Switch…) are not yet supported by RomM sync.
• You need a server: RomM is self-hosted, so you need a machine running (NAS, mini PC, VPS…) to benefit from it, especially away from home.

Conclusion

With Playnite as the interface, RomM as the library and RetroArch routed through Steam, the ROG Xbox Ally becomes a true retro console: one place to launch your games, saves in three copies and remote multiplayer as a bonus. Once it's set up, everything happens automatically: all that's left is to play.

Useful links

• Playnite
• RomM and its documentation
• RomM extension for Playnite
• Argosy, the RomM Android client
• RetroArch on Steam
• My RetroArch (Steam) plugin for Playnite