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Hey everyone! First off, a huge thank you to everyone who reported bugs, shared comments, and threw in suggestions over the past week. I’m doing my best to keep up, but it’s clear we’ve got an amazing group of testers who are leaving no stone unturned. You all rock! So, it’s been a week—where’s the next beta?! Well, here’s the scoop: we went back to the drawing board on the cache system. Based on your feedback and the discussions here, we realized we needed something more robust and foolproof. The good news? The updated cache system is in internal testing right now. During the final round, we uncovered a few extra things that need fixing before it’s ready to roll out. While we expect a few hiccups here and there, our goal is to have fewer issues than the current build. That’s why we’re holding off until next week. Here’s what you can expect in the new beta: No more _cache folder—saving you time and disk space. No waiting for cache rebuilds in the wheel manager. Faster cache rebuilds—our early metrics show it’s taking about 2 seconds per system. Smaller, more efficient cache files with better performance. Full support for overrides in the cache. We’re aiming for a Friday release! I’ll be out of town for a work event (yes, I’d rather be here with you all, but bills don’t pay themselves). While I’m away, the team will be wrapping up some final bugs in both HQ and HyperSpin. Here’s a short list of what’s on their plate: Wheel images show instead of text where possible in the system view. Custom system support: bypass match-making and add whatever you want. Name your system during the setup wizard. Steam updates to support more media. Fixed the default themes download bug. Auto-login added for EmuMovies when you get logged out. Option to remove collections in the manager. HQ update dialog no longer gets blocked by downloads. Bugfix for the plugin system to improve HyperSpin updates. Bezel project patch applied for smoother functionality. And let’s not forget our incredible content creators—they’ve been absolutely crushing it. If you haven’t already, check out @RetroHumanoid's latest themes—they’re amazing! And a massive shoutout to @baddeolvfor his work on the default HyperSpin set. He’s been tirelessly covering almost every core system we support, and the results speak for themselves. Plus, we’ve got a few new artists jumping in and experimenting with the updated toolset. The feedback and the flood of stunning new themes are a joy to see! After the next release, we’re diving into updates for the theme builder, focusing on bug fixes and workflow enhancements to make it even smoother. Future releases of the theme builder will introduce support for shaders, groups, and so much more. I can’t wait to get started! As always, thanks for all your support, feedback, and enthusiasm—it’s what keeps us going. Can’t wait to see what’s next! Stay awesome, -fr0stbyt3

First off, a huge thank you to everyone who’s been testing, reporting bugs, and sharing feedback. Your input has been invaluable, and I really appreciate the patience as we work through everything. I know we didn’t have a launch last week, and I wanted to address that. Some core systems—especially the cache system and UI updates—needed more work before they were ready. Rather than pushing out something unfinished, we took the extra time to make sure things were in a better state before releasing. It’s still a beta, so expect some rough edges, but we feel this build is in a much better place than it would have been last week. Over the past two weeks, we’ve overhauled the UI in all settings pages, made system setup smoother, optimized downloads, and added MUGEN support. You can now add multiple systems at once, pick multiple folders when selecting game directories, and we’ve made major improvements to cache handling, controller support, and error logging. Here’s what’s new: HyperHQ RetroArch Core Selector – No more manual typing! Select the core from a dropdown, and we’ll handle the command. For customization, click Advanced. System Setup Improvements – Automatically creates all override folders when adding new systems. New System Support – Added support for systems without a complete game list. Media Sounds Bug Fixed – Prevented duplicate downloads. Download Improvements EmuMovies video downloads are now optimized. Fixed issue where new downloads were not set as active. ROM Management Fix – Deleted games will no longer reappear. New Refresh Option – Added the ability to refresh overrides. MUGEN Support Added – Clear your system cache in the cache menu for the best experience. Updated System Add Component – Now supports adding multiple systems at the same time. Updated LED Blinky Support. Fixed Launching Error Logs. Multiple Folder Selection – Now possible when selecting game folders. Cache & Log System Improvements Updated Cache Service – Dozens of tweaks to fix corruption and errors. Updated Log System – More logs added for cache tracking. Updated UI for Cache Page – Improved settings menu for better navigation. UI Updates Updated UI for All Settings Pages – Improved design, layout, and usability across all settings menus. Updated UI for Intro & Outro Videos – Enhanced layout and functionality. Updated Plugin Page UI – Improved design and usability. HyperSpin Controller Fixes – Resolved issues where the main menu wasn’t responding to controllers. HyperTheme ThemeBuilder Fix – Fixed a double-select error. Profile Management Fix – Resolved errors when deleting a client. Collection Theme Errors Fixed – Various improvements for a smoother experience. In the Works: Revamped Controller Support One of the biggest things we’re working on right now is revamped controller support with direct HID input control. The goal is to eliminate the remaining controller issues and provide a more seamless, native experience. This is still in development, but early testing looks promising. More details soon! Thanks again for all your support, testing, and feedback. I know waiting an extra week for this one wasn’t ideal, but we wanted to make sure things were in a better place before pushing it out. As always, let me know if you run into anything, and we’ll keep making it better. Happy gaming!

Hey everyone! Important Installation Notice Due to the level of changes in this update, we highly recommend performing a clean installation to avoid compatibility issues. Please follow these steps: Uninstall your current version of HyperHQ and HyperSpin. Delete the following directories manually: C:\Users\[your_username]\.HyperHQ Your HyperSpin install directory Install the latest version fresh from our official source. This will fix issues for users who installed in custom directories and ensure that all settings and media comply with the latest version. We’ve been hard at work making improvements to HyperHQ and HyperSpin, focusing on performance, usability, and bug fixes. Below is a breakdown of the latest changes. HyperHQ Updates MAME Enhancements Player count is now a preference, not a filter – Selecting “2 players” will prioritize 2-player versions of games but won’t exclude playable 4-player games. Support for 'imperfect' ROMs – These are now recognized as playable and will no longer be filtered out. Improved clone detection – Enhancements to ensure better ROM organization. ROM Handling & Downloads Duplicate handling improvements – Games from multiple regions, languages, and sets are now properly merged. Video download updates – Fixes matching errors for more accurate media retrieval. Memory utilization improvements – Downloads are now more efficient and less memory-intensive. Cache System Overhaul New UI for cache progress – You can now track cache building progress in real time in HQ. Faster cache builds – Expect 60-70% faster cache build times compared to previous versions. Media override fixes – Bugs affecting media verification and overrides have been resolved. Auto Import & System Performance Improved auto-import logic – More refinements coming in future updates. Performance boosts – Faster system loading times and smoother navigation. UI Enhancements – The title bar now uses background assets where applicable. Logging & Debugging HQ logs moved to a dedicated folder – Now located in /logs within the HyperHQ directory. New log viewer – Access it via Settings > HyperHQ > Logs. ROM Details & Media Fixes UI refinements – Smoother experience when viewing ROM details. Bugfix for media apply state – Ensures proper display of applied changes. HyperSpin Updates Media Improvements Updated music support – Enhancements to in-game music handling. Intro/Outro bug fixes – Resolved issues affecting intro and outro sequences. Cache Enhancements Full support for new cache improvements – Includes all performance and UI updates from this build. Controller Fixes Navigation improvements – Controller input handling has been refined for a smoother experience. Final Notes These updates bring significant improvements to usability, speed, and overall functionality. As always, we appreciate feedback from the community—let us know if you run into any issues or have feature suggestions! Happy gaming!

We’re back! Thank you all for your patience while we finalized the new cache system this week. After a long week of travel, testing, and refinements, we’ve made significant improvements, fixed some stubborn bugs, and introduced new features based on your feedback. A few of you already spotted the early release, but here’s what to expect: Cache System Improvements The _cache folder is gone—freeing up space and eliminating unnecessary files. No more waiting for cache rebuilds in the wheel manager! Full cache rebuilds now take about 20 seconds per system. Smaller, more optimized cache files for better performance. Full support for overrides in the cache system. After updating, opening HyperHQ will automatically start the cache build process. The initial build takes about 20 seconds per system, but don’t worry—this is a one-time process. It won’t repeat every time you open the app. Once the cache is fully built, the blue message box will turn green, indicating everything is ready to go. From that point on, any newly added systems will build their cache dynamically in just a second or so, ensuring a smoother and faster experience. New Features & Fixes Custom system support – bypass match-making and add whatever you want. The setup wizard now lets you name your system—useful for managing multiple setups. Steam updates now support more media types. Fixed the default theme downloads bug. Auto-login for EmuMovies when you get logged out. Ability to remove collections in the manager. The HQ update dialog is no longer blocked by downloads. Fixed a plugin system bug for smoother HyperSpin updates. Applied a Bezel Project patch for better functionality. Increased download speeds across the board. We’re still working through a few remaining issues from internal testing. For example, cart and disk artwork isn’t displaying correctly in some themes—we expect to have this resolved early next week. @RetroHumanoid is at it again this week! Here is just a small sample of the awesome work I've been testing. This weekend, we’re focusing on polishing any remaining community-reported issues in HQ and implementing a few additional quality-of-life improvements. Thanks again for all the feedback—keep it coming, and enjoy the update!

Mid Week Update The 2.0.37 update is mainly a cache system rewrite. The majority of reported bugs center around this root issue. 2.0.37 is currently in the internal testing phase and a public release is tentatively expected by end of week if all goes smoothly. per @fr0stbyt3

We have a new website feature to go along with the HyperSpin 2 beta, the Beer Me! (Tip System) Members now have the chance to show their support and appreciation for their favorite artists and contributors by treating them to a cold, frosty pint anytime! HyperSpin has always been a community driven by incredible artists, and the contributions to this project are nothing short of amazing. While reactions, ratings, and download counts are great, nothing quite compares to the gesture of buying someone a drink to say, "Thank you." So, why wait? Show your gratitude... buy that artist (or contributor) a beer today! Here are a couple of examples Forum Post: Profile Page: A big shout out to @RetroHumanoid for being our tester. I hope you do not mind being the example. Content Creators (Note: This is only available to the Content Creator group) Setting up your Beer Me! button couldn't be easier. Head over to your account settings and click on Beer Me! Settings All you need to do is put in your link: Currently it supports links from paypal.com paypal.me cash.app Acknowledgements: Huge thank you to VPUniverse and @Dazz for getting this feature developed and sharing it with HyperSpin. Notice about abuse: Abuse of the Beer Me! system could result in removal of access to the system or even account removal.

Feel free to test this out on my button. I'm a broke ass old guy and too ugly for only fans. Spread some cheese on this cracker! Hahaha

Wow, such an awesome feature! Whoever come up with that idea was a genius!

@Creezz67 I appreciate how much effort you're putting into testing the beta. You keep trying to make it work despite your frustrations and I respect that.

What i mean by unusable is that it does not use the default Hyperspin theme when one does not exist and simply puts the wheelart over the Main Menu theme instead (see attached) This on top of taking 15+ minutes just to load Hyperspin up to me makes it currently unusable. Sadly I think you are heading exactly the same way Launchbox did .... even after 7+ years it's like a Ferrari with a moped engine as it runs at a snails pace, be it loading times, exiting times or just generally scrolling through your setup. It's the cache system/encryption that will doom it in the end (IMO), but at least I still have Hyperspin 1.5 which looks like it will NEVER be equalled Apologies if I sound negative, but after hoping to see Hyperspin 2 for 10 years+ this isn't what I thought it would be (for me anyway) Just a simple HD version of Hyperspin 1.5 would have been awesome.

Added the button to the HS1 downloads and added Cash App as an option.

Unless he changes Hyperspin 2 completely and reverts back to using xml’s and making a portable system like Hyperspin 1.5 this is doomed from the start. There is NO way anyone is building a system with 100’s of wheels with it all being encrypted and no way to back it up or change it at will. Even Launchbox still uses xml and it’s portable so there is no excuse. I just can’t understand why Hyperspin 1.5 can’t just be updated from 1024x768 to 1920x1080 at least. Like the saying goes …. If it ain’t broke DON’T fix it.

I also request this. Database control is crucial. Lately all the bug request have been about MAME rom filtering settings and missing games after importing roms. Having control over databases would fix all that. Without importing a user created database, how can MAME be updated on a monthly basis? For that matter, how can MAME Software List systems be added? There's no way the shortnames of all MAME roms can be identified with the scaping tool. I'm not just talking about arcade games. MAME is the largest and most consistently updated emulator covering hundreds of systems. None of which can be matched to any media with the current scraping tool. I could only see that working if we could maintain our own databases and could scrape media based off the database game "description" info and not "rom name" info. Maybe HyperHQ could use MAME Software List Hash files to identify match roms to media? Still that would be so much work to set up. The easiest solution is to give us access to creating or using existing xml databases. There's no way to automate this and please everyone. So make it the users responsibility to maintain.

Hi, 1. Media is not the focus of the beta and will get updates in due course 2. Collections/_override media were added recently and are not fully featured yet. there is a new update in the works with some fundamental changes. I would suggest trying again when version .37 is released soon. Check back in a few days

Hey yall! Welcome to our new Hyperspin! For anyone who used/uses Launchbox,I am sure you might have heard of the theme I created back in 2018 called Unified Refried. It is currently the 2nd highest downloaded theme for LB,only sitting under City Hunter 2,which was released over a full year before it,at a time where custom themes were not rampant. Refried covers over 220+ systems,each with HQ artwork,creating a unified and colorful look across all platforms,while also looking professional. Despite how long this is going to take me (and it will) I have decided to bring that theme over to Hyperspin! I will gradually be adding more and more to it in HyperTheme during this beta period,and hope that users will download,and enjoy using it in their setups. Any and all constructive criticism,or suggestions is always welcome. Hyperspin Refried Main Menu Theme - Hyperspin Refried Game Theme -

I'm not sure if many people here are familiar with the Steam ROM Manager. Their media selection tools are great and I think that @Circo & @fr0stbyt3 should take a closer look and perhaps this could be something to take into consideration with HS2 media. I could imagine something similar to this for HQ. Allow users to browse existing server side artwork, or even upload missing, or even allow the user to use their own local medias. SRM is also Open Source, so perhaps code could be pulled to make adding this pretty quick. Here I have added my SNES collection into Steam ROM Manager. The example I'm using here is 3 Ninjas. As you can see the Media is not really matching. I think the way they handle this is pretty slick... Mousing over the game gives several options. Fix, Upload, Refresh, and Save. Clicking the left / right arrows cycles through several versions of the artwork that are possible matches for the game. After a couple clicks it returned the correct artwork that I was looking for: Selecting Upload, allows you to use Local Artwork: Clicking Fix, takes you to a page where you can select new artwork https://www.steamgriddb.com/game/35524

Hi! I just want to introduce myself. I'm another retro lover. I assembled an Hyperspin system during 2023 and 2024 with systems that goes from Atari to Xbox and I want to thank this awesome comunity. I've recently saw the presentation of the Hyperspin 2 and I'm really exited for further news about it. Love for everyone and a big THANK YOU to the developers. You are doing a great job!

Yeah this is absolutely part of the roadmap at this point. After some update to the themebuilder to take themes to the next level, the event system will be the next feature I would like to focus on. This one thing will enable a ton of customization and new features for us in the future.

I can't tell if it was a good test or a bad test

12yr old "Newbie". Built a working rig back in 2013-14 with my X-Arcade pre-Tank-Stick double controller only to have my external drive fall off a desk and stop working shortly after. By the time I got around to trying to rebuild from scratch, I forgot what I did the first time. Excited to dust off my controller and get back to it, I was saddened to find the site down. A few years ago I heard that it was back up, but by the time I went to check it was down again. I attempted again back in 2023 and missed the window again, but was given a ray of hope with a message of a potential return. Last year I started again and was excited to see the site back up; but, when I found that it was just a shell still in progress, I knew that if I patiently waited something new and big might be on the horizon. Today I sat down at my computer, dusted off my new drive, and signed on to the site. To my surprise, there was an announcement video for a new version of what I think is the greatest front end around. Even when I had no access, I did not even think of going to the other front ends, because I truly enjoyed the artistic originality and community contributions of HyperSpin. Thank you for coming back and thank you for your time and patience in providing a new and improved version of an already great product. I look forward to exploring your program.

I just wanted to say that it is extremely exciting to see HyperSpin being developed again. Being honest, I migrated everything to LaunchBox several years ago, but I'd never given up hope that HS 2.0 was still going to see the light of day. While long delays in updates can and did lead to a lot of folks jumping ship, I will always consider returning if/when 2.0 reaches the same level of maturity as LB. One area where HS always did have an advantage (and still does with this new release) is in theme development. HyperTheme was always such a fun, intuitive tool. I'm SO glad that isn't changing and is being modernized and improved. Everything I'm seeing so far looks really promising and with fr0stby3 and crew on the job, I have no doubt things will only keep moving in the right direction. I understand the disappointment a lot of users felt in OG HyperSpin's slow descent into deprecation, but I think it's absurd to hold any ill will towards the developers for it. Original HS was still usable, if severely outdated, till the last day. But we have to remember that this is a HOBBY for these guys running parallel to the demands of a regular life. Let's look forward to the future and expend energy on smoothing out the wrinkles and eradicating some bugs!