Software Engineering Daily: Emulating Retro Games on Modern Consoles with Robin Lavallée and Bill Litshauer

Release Date: June 19, 2025

In this engaging episode of Software Engineering Daily, host Kevin Ball delves into the intricate world of retro game emulation on modern consoles with Robin Lavallée, CEO, and Bill Litschauer, COO of Implicit Conversions—a company dedicated to bringing legacy PlayStation and other classic games to contemporary gaming platforms. The discussion navigates through the technical challenges, innovative solutions, and business strategies involved in preserving and enhancing beloved retro titles for today’s gamers.

1. Introduction to Implicit Conversions and Its Founders

Robin Lavallée and Bill Litschauer introduce themselves and their journey into the realm of software engineering and game development.

• Robin Lavallée shares his early passion for programming, ignited at seven years old with a TRS-80 and BASIC coding. His professional path includes significant stints at Ubisoft, 2K Games, Twitch, and Meta, where he worked on projects like Oculus Quest and Project Horizon. His love for retro gaming and delayed adoption of newer PlayStation consoles led him to establish Implicit Conversions.

  "[...] I started programming when I was, I guess, seven years old [...] I played old games and why not?" [01:34]

• Bill Litschauer recounts his transition from hardware-focused studies in computer engineering at Queen’s University to a software career, initially resisting the shift. His experience includes roles at Webkinz, Earth Rangers, and producing over a hundred casual games. Introduced to Robin through a mutual friend, Bill found his niche at Implicit Conversions, embracing his passion for retro games as COO.

  "I've helped produce over a hundred casual games throughout my career." [02:30]

2. Understanding Game Emulation and Supported Platforms

The conversation begins with the basics of game emulation, focusing on Implicit Conversions’ primary target platforms: PlayStation 1 (PS1), PlayStation 2 (PS2), and PlayStation Portable (PSP), with exploratory efforts into other systems like the NES.

• Robin explains their proprietary emulator engine, Syrup, which integrates multiple emulators as modules or plugins. This allows them to support different consoles and enhance games with modern features.

  "Our Syrup emulation engine allows us to integrate different emulators as sort of modules or plugins." [05:08]

• Bill highlights the most requested emulation targets, particularly PS1 games on the Nintendo Switch. He details enhancements such as widescreen support, interactive manuals, and netplay capabilities using modified GGPO rollback networking libraries.

  "The big thing, we get requests for our PlayStation games, especially PS1. That is by far the number one request that we get from our Clients and they want it on Switch." [06:49]

3. The Emulation Process: From Original Binaries to Modern Platforms

A deep dive into the technical stack reveals the complexity of porting games without access to source code.

• Robin outlines the emulation stack:

  • Command Library: Handles low-level file operations.
  • Pancake: Their proprietary PS1 emulator.
  • Syrup: Acts as a frontend based on RetroArch Libretro, adapted for consoles.

  "We have a command library, Pancake, which is our PS1 emulator, and then we put this on top of Syrup." [07:09]

• Bill elaborates on the challenges of using existing emulators, emphasizing the need for legal emulation on consoles. Implicit Conversions leverages their combined expertise in console development and emulation to create a seamless porting experience.

  "We are using our emulation for console, basically." [07:09]

4. Addressing Performance and Hardware Compatibility

The team discusses critical technical hurdles such as performance optimization and hardware compatibility.

• Robin explains the necessity of modifying SDK code from original consoles (e.g., PlayStation SDK) to function within new hardware environments like the Switch or Xbox, often replacing proprietary functions to align with modern system calls.

  "We have to replace that code. [...] So we get this little layer of like, you know, the save for Xbox, [...]" [09:06]

• Bill emphasizes that despite modern hardware being more powerful, emulation requires careful management of legacy game expectations, such as timing and resource constraints, to maintain game integrity.

  "You're still limited by the hardware restraints that existed by the PS1 to a certain point." [12:53]

5. Enhancing Legacy Games: Augmentations and Modern Features

Implicit Conversions doesn't just replicate old games but also augments them with contemporary features based on client requests.

• Robin and Bill discuss various enhancements:

  • Widescreen Support: Eliminating black bars and adjusting HUD elements using LUA scripts.
  • NetPlay: Implementing online multiplayer capabilities using the GGPO framework, tailored beyond its original fighting game focus to suit 2D scrollers.
  • Rewind and Save States: Allowing players to rewind gameplay or save at specific points, aiding both gaming experience and QA processes.

  "Our emulator has a rewind system [...] which really helps with QA when we're doing our trophy testing." [28:23]

• Bill highlights other requested augmentations such as:

  • Up Rendering: Enhancing graphical quality with post-processing effects like CRT filters or scan lines.
  • Custom Audio and Button Remapping: Adapting audio tracks and controller layouts to fit different modern consoles.

  "Rewind is popular. Up rendering is another thing that is requested to improve the graphical quality of the game." [38:23]

6. Networking and Multiplayer Challenges with GGPO

Introducing multiplayer to games originally designed for single or local multiplayer involves significant complexity.

• Bill introduces GGPO (Good Game Peace Out), a rollback-based networking library initially designed for fighting games. While effective for synchronizing game states across different systems, applying it to non-fighting genres like 2D scrollers presented unique challenges.

  "GGPO is great for fighting games. [...] we were using it for a 2D scroller, which made it more challenging." [30:03]

• Robin elaborates on the limitations of GGPO, such as its lack of game awareness leading to issues like mismatches in predicted actions versus actual inputs, resulting in visual glitches or inconsistent game states.

  "If you're about to jump, every time you're about to jump, the prediction will be wrong by a frame or two." [32:38]

• The duo also discusses strategies to mitigate these issues, including creating safe states for synchronized start points and handling dynamic player joins or disconnects seamlessly.

  "We have a safe state [...] Now everyone loads the same save state together and then start GGPO." [35:17]

7. Quality Assurance and Automated Testing

Ensuring compatibility across hundreds of games and multiple platforms demands robust QA processes.

• Bill introduces their auto testing system, which runs nightly tests on numerous games across all supported consoles. The system captures screenshots at key frames and compares them against reference images to detect regressions or anomalies.

  "We have an auto testing system that checks hundreds of games every night [...] it checks all the different games that we've produced against all the different consoles that we support." [46:29]

• Robin discusses the integration with GitHub Actions and the logistical challenges of managing large game data, emphasizing the importance of maintaining physical build machines to handle extensive data loads efficiently.

  "We have custom physical build machines [...] connected to GitHub." [41:21]

• Together, they highlight the importance of heuristics and human interpretation in managing test results, ensuring that their emulation remains reliable and high-quality.

8. Business Model and Market Strategy

The conversation shifts to the economic aspects of game emulation and Implicit Conversions' business approach.

• Bill explains that their primary model is business-to-business, collaborating with publishers like Xseed and Marvelous to port games for them. They also cater to smaller studios through their upcoming Syrup SDK, enabling self-porting for indie developers.

  "It's mainly business to business. [...] We're working with publishers or studios to get the games done for them." [51:22]

• Robin envisions a scalable model akin to platforms like YouTube or Spotify, where indie developers can efficiently port and monetize niche or region-specific games, addressing licensing complexities and expanding the availability of hidden gems from various markets.

  "We want to make it so people could use this technology and self-port the games and then everybody gets a cut." [55:15]

• They discuss the challenges of licensing intellectual property and the strategic criteria for selecting games to port, focusing on financial viability, enduring appeal, and the potential to reach new audiences.

  "Their ownership of the IP is the number one blocker [...] We look at the financial opportunity and the game's timelessness." [51:22]

9. Community Engagement and Future Directions

Implicit Conversions thrives on a vibrant community that contributes to the emulation ecosystem.

• Bill emphasizes the role of their active Discord community, which provides valuable feedback, bug reports, feature suggestions, and game rankings, directly influencing their development priorities.

  "Our community is incredible [...] They submit bug reports for us, they ask for features, they rank games that they want." [57:58]

• Robin touches on the importance of community-driven feature requests and the endless possibilities for game enhancements, from texture replacements to UI adjustments, ensuring that emulated games not only run but also resonate with modern players.

  "There are a lot of work, interesting work actually [...] people interested in like gaming and solving problems." [58:52]

• Looking ahead, they discuss expanding support to more complex consoles like the PS3, addressing challenges related to memory management and data handling, while also considering the logistical hurdles of large game data sizes.

  "PS3 is a big platform [...] memory management and data handling are major challenges." [41:21]

10. Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

As the episode wraps up, Robin and Bill reflect on their mission to preserve and revitalize retro gaming, making it accessible and enjoyable for both nostalgic players and new generations.

• Robin underscores the vast potential of uncataloged retro games, advocating for scalable solutions that empower developers to bring hidden classics to life, thereby combating piracy and ensuring cultural preservation.

  "There's a big loss of retro games [...] make it so people could use this technology and then self-port the games and then everybody gets a cut." [55:15]

• Bill highlights their pride in the community and invites listeners passionate about retro gaming and technical challenges to join their efforts, hinting at future opportunities to collaborate and contribute.

  "Our community is outstanding. If people want to join that, please do." [57:58]

Notable Quotes

• Robin Lavallée:

  "We have to replace that code. [...] Now you got this little layer of like, you know, the save for Xbox, the save for the Switch, the save for PC." [09:06]

• Bill Litschauer:

  "GGPO is great for fighting games. [...] but when you get to three and four players, which is what we support, well, it gets very complicated." [30:03]

• Robin Lavallée:

  "If you do enough heuristic because at the end of the day humans will be interpreting those results." [49:35]

• Bill Litschauer:

  "We have an auto testing system that checks hundreds of games every night [...]" [46:29]

Conclusion

This episode provides a comprehensive look into the complexities and innovations behind emulating retro games on modern platforms. Robin Lavallée and Bill Litschauer shed light on the delicate balance between preserving original game integrity and enhancing user experience through modern features. Their dedication to overcoming technical hurdles, coupled with a strategic business approach and an engaged community, positions Implicit Conversions as a pivotal player in the retro gaming preservation landscape.

For enthusiasts and professionals alike, the insights shared in this episode underscore the intricate engineering and passionate commitment required to breathe new life into classic games, ensuring their continued enjoyment for years to come.