FAQ
Short answers to the questions people ask before they install Empo.
Is Empo on the App Store?
No. Empo is pre-release. You sideload an .ipa file with AltStore, SideStore, or Sideloadly.
See Install Empo.
Why does the app stop after seven days?
Apple limits apps signed with a free developer account to seven days. Your sideloading tool refreshes the app before it expires, as long as the tool can reach your device. A paid Apple Developer account extends the period to one year. Your games and saves survive a refresh.
Which games does Empo run?
Games made with RPG Maker XP, VX, and VX Ace, games built on modern mkxp-z forks, such as Pokemon Essentials fangames, and games made with PSDK, RPG Maker MV, and RPG Maker MZ. See Requirements for the full list.
Does it run RPG Maker MV or MZ games?
Yes. Import the game folder or an archive of it. For a desktop release, Empo finds the www
folder inside it.
Does it run RPG Maker 2000 or 2003 games?
No. Use EasyRPG Player for those.
Do I need the RTP?
Empo cannot install a Run-Time Package. If a game asks for one, Empo warns you before the game starts. Import a version of the game that ships its own assets.
Can I play a game I packaged for JoiPlay?
Yes. Empo imports .jgp packages and reads their manifest. If a game expects JoiPlay behavior,
turn on JoiPlay compatibility in the settings for that game.
Where do I get games?
Empo ships no games and hosts no games. Import the games you own or the free fangames you download from their authors. Empo does not link to game downloads.
Why iOS 26?
Empo builds on the iOS 26 and macOS 26 SDKs and uses their controls throughout the interface. Older versions of iOS and macOS cannot run it.
Does it work on iPad?
Yes. Empo runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 26 or newer. Each orientation keeps its own touch layout, and each game can keep its own.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes, on a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 26 or newer. See Install Empo.
The Mac app has the same library. Each game opens in its own window, and you can play more than one game at a time. Play with a keyboard or a controller. To find your games and saves, open Empo → Settings → Advanced, and click Show in Finder.
Why can I play only one game per session?
This applies to RPG Maker XP, VX, VX Ace and PSDK games on an iPhone or an iPad. A Mac does not have this limit. The engine keeps one Ruby interpreter for the lifetime of the process, and the interpreter cannot restart cleanly. After you quit one of these games, close Empo from the app switcher and open it again.
To quit an RPG Maker XP, VX, VX Ace or PSDK game without closing Empo, turn on Settings → Experimental → Quit and switch games, and then close and open Empo once. Each game then runs in its own process, and More → Quit works. Empo also moves your games and saves to Empo under Locations in the Files app. See Saves. The setting is still in testing. Empo 0.9.1 and later do not have it for now, because SideStore and AltStore cannot install the part that it needs.
RPG Maker MV and MZ games do not have this limit. After one of them, you can play any game. multi-session.md explains the constraint.
Do my saves survive an app update?
Yes. Saves live in the Files app. To open them, tap Show in Files in Empo’s Settings. They are not in the app binary. Do not delete the app before you update it. See Saves.
Does Empo collect any data?
Only error reports. When a game shows an error or crashes, Empo sends the error and the game’s log to me, so I can fix it. There are no analytics and no ads. To stop the reports, turn off Send error reports in Settings > Advanced. See the privacy policy.
A game does not work. What now?
Work through Troubleshooting. If that does not fix it, collect the logs and report the game on GitHub or Discord.