GBear

GBear is a game library and launcher, and a way to play that library from another screen. The Mac app and the Windows app each keep a library, covers, emulators, storefronts, ROMM, and a stream host. A phone, another Mac, or another PC can join for ordinary streaming or for couch co-op.

Download GBear 1.8.14

Released October 22, 2026

Mac GBear-macOS.zip · 8.2 MB Windows GBear-windows.zip · 3.4 MB Android companion GBear-companion-android.apk · 67 MB
  • Mac: unzip, then move GBear.app to Applications. Needs macOS 14 or newer. The app is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens with a double-click.
  • Windows: unzip anywhere and run GBear.exe, keeping WebView2Loader.dll next to it. Needs Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. If SmartScreen warns, choose More info, then Run anyway.
  • Android: open the apk on your phone and allow installs from your browser or file manager if Android asks. It updates an earlier companion in place.
Why is the Android download so much bigger?

The Android file carries three complete copies of the companion, one for each kind of phone processor. Your phone installs and runs only the copy that matches it.

Part of the Android file Size
Copy for 64-bit ARM phones, nearly every recent phone and handheld20.6 MB
Copy for 64-bit Intel devices, such as some Chromebooks22.2 MB
Copy for 32-bit ARM phones, older or low-cost models18.4 MB
Everything else: icons, the emulator catalog, and Android codeabout 6 MB

Each copy includes the Flutter engine, which draws the interface, plus GBear’s own code. Those parts are already compact, so zipping them doesn’t make them smaller.

The computer apps are smaller because the operating system already supplies most of what they need:

  • Mac (8.2 MB): written in Swift and SwiftUI, which come with macOS, so the download contains only GBear’s own code.
  • Windows (3.4 MB): uses the drawing tools and WebView2 browser engine that already come with Windows 10 and 11.

Library

One grid of games on the computer that owns them, on Mac or Windows.

  • Scan folders and launch emulators from per-emulator settings
  • Fetch cover art through ScreenScraper with your own credentials
  • Bring in Steam, Epic, and GOG titles, plus ROMM
  • Achievements: sign in to RetroAchievements to see your points, rank, and recent unlocks
  • Discover: game recommendations from a curated GOG list, leaving out games you already own

Android companion

The companion is its own game library and launcher, and streaming is one button away.

  • Browse games by platform as a grid, carousel, or list, with full controller control
  • Set each system’s emulator and game folders from a list of 183 systems, or find them automatically
  • Covers from ScreenScraper, IGDB, SteamGridDB, TheGamesDB, or your own folders
  • Favorites, Recent, Collections, Android games and apps, and Discover
  • ROMM downloads, Steam, Epic, and GOG games through GameNative or GameHub Lite, and RetroAchievements

Streaming

The host captures its screen and system audio, compresses the picture as H.264, and sends it to whoever joined.

  • Regular streaming is one person on another screen. Touch on the phone moves the host pointer. Keyboard shortcuts and one controller can be sent back. On a Mac host, the Mac speakers mute and the sound plays on the device that joined.
  • Couch co-op is the same picture with a controller slot per player. The host runs one game. A Windows host seats up to 8 players, and their controllers show up as Xbox pads after ViGEmBus is installed once. A Mac host seats up to 5, sent as key presses you bind in the emulator.
  • On the local network, join with the host’s IP address. Across the internet, the host starts remote co-op and friends paste the invite. That path does not need port forwarding.

Who can join

  • The Android companion joins a host, watches the stream, and sends touch, keyboard shortcuts, or a controller
  • Another Mac, or the Windows app, can host or join
  • This release does not include an iPhone build
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