Won't launch games

[UnreadBread]

Gamehub Lite will NOT launch a game, I've tweaked driver and steam settings, it simply won't launch. Regular Gamehub launches games just fine, but Gamehub lite will just boot me back to my library after "trying" to load a game

[WillCWatson]

I am having a similar issue, when I try to launch a game from its game page with my controller (a gamesir g8, ironically enough) the interface disappears for a moment, showing the box art, then the interface comes back like I didn't try to launch a game. When I try to load a game from the main menu it makes a button select noise and nothing happens at all. When I do not have it plugged in, however, the game begins launching, at which point it hangs for an indeterminate time, showing a steam logo with an arrow pointing to the game icon. I have not been able to get any game to launch. I am currently trying on a pixel Final Fantasy game, so it probably isn't from game complexity.

[DavidRLTG]

Same here

[JormisHolm]

Hi I had this issue:
The fix. Close app, navigate to android settings>app settings>gamehub>clear cache (DO NOT CLEAR DATA!!!)
I think the emulator gets stuck and wont boot from the home screen due to this. This seemed to help out.

[UnreadBread]

Unfortunately that's not the problem I have lol, I can boot the app just fine but it wont properly launch games. It loads for a bit then just sends me right back to the Gamehub Lite homepage, regular Gamehub works just fine but Lite does not.

[JormisHolm]

On retroid flip 2 I need to change the mode to lightweight mode under steam . Some ganes work straight away with this switch . Others much much tinkering . Hopefully that's a quick fix

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On Tue, Jan 27, 2026, 6:43 PM UnreadBread ***@***.***> wrote: *UnreadBread* left a comment (Producdevity/gamehub-lite#76) <#76 (comment)> Unfortunately that's not the problem I have lol, I can boot the app just fine but it wont properly launch games. It loads for a bit then just sends me right back to the Gamehub Lite homepage, regular Gamehub works just fine but Lite does not. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#76 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/B5LTIBWMQ2KBLGPI37YFLJD4I7Z3ZAVCNFSM6AAAAACSZMIRO2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTQMBYGE2DCOBZGM> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[ejleslie]

I am also having this problem; I also did not have this problem using regular (non-lite) Gamehub.

On the AYN Thor, here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tried the cache clear; did not work. Lightweight mode seems to sometimes work, but that feels like it shouldn't be necessary.

[UnreadBread]

Changing it to lightweight mode also seemed to work for me, at least in 1 game. I'm wondering what exactly lightweight mode changes, because it's not too clear, like offline/online capabilities, performance differences, etc.

[JormisHolm]

I agree I have been learning a lot! But a guide for settings in plain description would be awesome. I have actually been using AI to help troubleshoot games that wont launch. I have been using lightweight mode exclusively in various types of games from 2d to 3d, light and heavy cpu. As far as I can tell this lightweight mode is the Steam client choice. Which version of steam are you running. So for my set up its always lightweight. I would love to see a lightweight offline mode.

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On Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 1:20 AM UnreadBread ***@***.***> wrote: *UnreadBread* left a comment (Producdevity/gamehub-lite#76) <#76 (comment)> Changing it to lightweight mode also seemed to work for me, at least in 1 game. I'm wondering what exactly lightweight mode changes, because it's not too clear, like offline/online capabilities, performance differences, etc. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#76 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/B5LTIBRHTJMLC6FSVTOG57L4JGRENAVCNFSM6AAAAACSZMIRO2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTQMJVG4YTEOBSGE> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[jakequi]

Same thing on the Retroid Pocket 5, works when I switch to Lightweight but the only reason I'm using this is for Steam Achievements

[nawoa]

Gamehub Lite will NOT launch a game, I've tweaked driver and steam settings, it simply won't launch. Regular Gamehub launches games just fine, but Gamehub lite will just boot me back to my library after "trying" to load a game

Share your device and what you're trying to play and what configuration options you're using.

It certainly does play lots of games perfectly fine but A) you're doing something wrong, B) your hardware is incompatible/incapable, C) you're using incompatible settings for your specific device, or D) you might just be hitting on a game that isn't compatible yet or which has out-of-date compatibility information.

I am also having this problem; I also did not have this problem using regular (non-lite) Gamehub.

On the AYN Thor, here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tried the cache clear; did not work. Lightweight mode seems to sometimes work, but that feels like it shouldn't be necessary.

What game?

On AYN Thor specifically you can try these troubleshooting steps:

1. In PC Game Settings, choose these options under compatibility: compatibility layer proton10.0-arm64x-2; GPU Driver Turnip_v26.0.0_R8; DXVK Version dxvk-v2.7.1.1-async; VKD3D version vkd3d-proton-3.0b; CPU translator Fex-20260103
2. If that doesn't work, next try under General: Disable Window Manager [enable]; Disable Graphics Enhancement Plugin [enable].
3. If you start the game and you have no gamepad input, under the "Steam" options category select steam_9866232.

Between these three steps almost every game I've tried works unless it's just too heavy for AYN Thor. There are weird outliers, like currently I'm trying to run Cobalt Core (super lightweight 2D deckbuilder) and it just won't start. If I randomly mess around with different settings for compatibility layer, DXVK version, VKD3D version, and/or CPU translator, I'll probably stumble upon something that makes it run though.

Unfortunately there's no way to set defaults yet so you'll have to set everything I said in step (1) individually for EVERY GAME. Games that won't run with the settings I said but will run with older settings are vanishingly few, I think I've found like 2 in all the games I've tried and I've probably installed over a hundred.

....edit: and there it is. That's a new one. It only runs with Steam "lightweight". That's the first game I've encountered that's done that. Since people have asked what's the difference, from what I understand the most important differences are that cloud saves and multiplayer don't work. I think that's what I heard anyway. Steam Input may not work properly either, based on what I'm seeing.

[UnreadBread]

Share your device and what you're trying to play and what configuration options you're using.

I'm using the base Ayn Odin 2 Mini, I've just tried testing games using Castle Crashers on steam which says has perfect compatibility and should be a breeze to run. I've tried using steam version "9866232" and "9866233," Proton9.0-x63-3 which is the default, but also have tried wine10/6=arm64x-2. Tried using turnip_v25.0.0_R1, and v26.0.0_R8. Everything else is default right now. So far the only way I can get ANY game to launch is by running it through lightweight steam client version and even that only sometimes works, it WOULD work for me, but it doesn't support offline play which kind of defeats the purpose of having steam games on my Odin 2 Mini. GameNative works just fine with all of these games, offline too, but GameHub's UI and performance is way better in my opinion.

[nawoa]

Share your device and what you're trying to play and what configuration options you're using.

I'm using the base Ayn Odin 2 Mini

My AYN Thor has the same CPU so try using the versions I recommended in my post above. My own game compatibility experience has been so positive it would take an unreasonable amount of time to list off the games I've successfully run, lol. I did quick math and I have over 130 installed that I've confirmed at least get past menus into gameplay.

Okay I just installed Castle Crashers and it fired right up, no issue. I didn't touch the defaults but I also tried the latest ones like I said in my troubleshooting step 1 above and they worked too.

You'll generally have better luck with Proton, don't use Wine. Wine is Proton but without Valve improvements.

[UnreadBread]

Okay I just installed Castle Crashers and it fired right up, no issue. I didn't touch the defaults but I also tried the latest ones like I said in my troubleshooting step 1 above and they worked too.

It's very strange how mine isn't working on Castle Crashers with those exact settings with my Odin 2 Mini, followed it all step by step lol. Don't worry about it, I can wait for the next Gamehub Lite update to hopefully patch things out, or a future update; and I'll use GameNative till it all works. Kind of sucks tho because GameNative download speeds are absolutely horrendous haha