Socket 0.9.0 adds RomM integration and PS Vita support on Android

Solo developer Depmots has released Socket version 0.9.0 for Android handhelds, introducing native RomM server integration, Sony PlayStation Vita platform support, and expanded dual-screen display controls. The update is available to Patreon supporters today, continuing a rapid development cycle that began when the launcher first entered alpha on July 29, 2026.

Unlike traditional Android frontends such as Daijisho or EmulationStation Desktop Edition that rely on flat box-art grids, Socket is built in the Godot engine and renders your library as tactile 3D cartridges, optical discs, and UMDs. Selecting a title plays a custom console insertion animation before handing the file off to an external emulator. Depmots originally designed the frontend for smaller, curated libraries rather than massive multi-terabyte ROM dumps, aiming to recreate the feeling of rummaging through a physical game case.

Wireless ROM downloads and automatic save syncing

The biggest functional addition in 0.9.0 is direct integration with RomM, an open-source, self-hosted web manager for retro game collections. Users can pair Socket with their personal RomM instance using a pairing code or an API token. Once linked, the launcher can browse the remote server by platform and download games straight into the handheld's local ROM directories for immediate scraping.

RomM pairing also solves one of the more annoying friction points of owning multiple Android handhelds: moving save files around. When configuring a platform in Socket, users can now assign a designated save synchronization folder. Before launching a game, Socket automatically pulls the latest save data from the RomM server, and then uploads the updated save file back to the server as soon as you exit the emulator. I'm curious how gracefully the sync handles sudden connection drops if you close a clamshell device away from home Wi-Fi, and Depmots has asked users with unusual network setups to send feedback on this initial implementation.

PS Vita support and dual-screen display controls

On the platform side, Socket 0.9.0 adds support for the PlayStation Vita, giving Sony's 2011 handheld its own 3D game card models inside the carousel. Because Socket is strictly a frontend, you'll still need a standalone emulator like Vita3K installed on your device to actually boot the games.

This update also builds on the dual-screen foundation introduced in version 0.8.0 for clamshell hardware like the AYN Thor. Users can now dictate whether individual games or Android apps open on the top or bottom display. While a game is running on the primary display, the inactive bottom screen can be set to show a dimmed snapshot, a minimal black screen with just the game title and play timer, or a completely black panel to save battery. The on-screen keyboard can also be locked to the bottom display, automatically returning input focus to the top screen once closed.

Tabbed settings and custom background audio

Rounding out the release are several interface and quality-of-life fixes that make daily navigation cleaner:

• Tabbed settings menu: The previously long, scrolling Tweaks page has been split into dedicated tabs for Appearance, Display, Carousel, Games, Audio, Controls, and Dual Screen.
• Custom background music: Users can load their own OGG, MP3, or WAV files to loop while browsing the carousel, complete with a dedicated volume slider.
• Faster library handling: The random game selector now resolves in about one second regardless of library size, and scans that detect 10 or more titles allow you to mark them all as seen to skip repetitive reveal animations.
• Offline emulator definitions: The supported emulator list now ships inside the APK rather than waiting for an initial network download on first boot.

UI scaling bugs that previously caused menus to spill off the edges of 3:2 and 4:3 displays (such as the Konkr Pocket) have also been patched.