One installer, four games.
The launcher is Phaethon's Windows desktop application: a single self-contained program installed by a wizard, updated in place, and signed so that Windows names its publisher. It installs the runtime, imports each game from your own disc, launches it with the right arguments and the preset you chose, and keeps the runtime and itself up to date from Phaethon's own store.
Install
A first-run setup asks where the runtime and every game's data should live, one folder for all four, and installs the runtime right away.
Import
Point a game at your disc image. The serial is checked first, then the extractor runs in three stages you can watch: extract, decompile, compile.
Play
Every game starts retail-faithful. The remastered preset and each game's settings are toggles on its page, and a debug window can open at startup.
Update
A runtime update rebuilds only the games whose build inputs changed. The launcher updates itself the same way, each download checked against the size and hash the store declares.
Signed in to Phaethon.
The launcher carries the project's online layer today. It is optional: every game plays the same signed out, and nothing about a disc, a build or a save leaves your machine unless you sign in.
Sign in
From the sidebar or the first-run setup, with a device code confirmed in your browser against Phaethon's own realm. Creating an account is the same flow. Stay signed in is a preference, and a refused sign-in signs the launcher out rather than pretending.
Sessions
While a game the launcher started runs, it reads the runtime's session journal: at the title, in the menus, racing on a named track, in a cutscene. Play time is credited from it, the Discord presence and the exit toast read it, and each session played while signed in is reported to Phaethon once, under your account. The profile page shows your play time per game.
Saves
The account service keeps each game's saves under your account with a per-account quota, and the profile has its games section ready. The launcher's own sync of each game's saves to that service is the next release's work.
In the order it is likely to arrive.
Saves that follow you
Each game's saves synced to your account and back, so a fresh install picks up where the last one stopped.
Save import
PlayStation 2 and PCSX2 memory cards imported into the runtime's per-game save folder.
Achievements
A set per game, awarded by the port from the game's own state and kept beside the saves; the page exists and waits for the service.
Mods, and Linux
Mods installed and disabled from the launcher through a versioned API, and a launcher for the Linux build once it ships.
What you can check without the code.
The launcher's code is proprietary and its repository is private, and it is likely to stay that way. What ships is verifiable anyway: the installer and the updater carry a signing identity that Windows names, every download is checked against the size and the hash the store publishes, and the launcher distributes no game data. Its releases are listed here and on the changelog, with what each one changed.
each release with its first change, from the store's launcher/changelog.md · fetched 27 Sep 2026
Sessions you play while signed in are reported to your Phaethon account, and to no other. And 3 more.
The license in setup fills its box and adds terms for game data, updates, presence and warranty. And 17 more.
Discord shows what you are doing in the launcher and in the game. And 13 more.
The Game page shows what you are doing while a game runs. And 4 more.
The launcher is now called Phaethon. And 4 more.
The Remastered checkbox starts the game on its remastered settings. And 3 more.
The first release of the Jak launcher. And 5 more.