V1.0 - V1.22 Updates
Hello all,
Below is all the version updates from initial launch, until now. So much has improved since then, so please enjoy.
In the future, each new version will get its own dedicated update page. I just didn’t want to make like 20 blog posts for each one.
Everything that's changed in Retrospect since launch on May 1, 2026. Going forward, each release gets its own post — this one collects the full history in one place.
v1.22.0 — June 17, 2026
Improved
Game artwork now loads faster across the app thanks to a more efficient image format.
Added a quick New Journal button so you can start an entry in fewer clicks.
v1.21.0 — June 16, 2026
Improved
Behind-the-scenes connection handling for self-hosted setups.
v1.20.0 — June 16, 2026
New
Discover filtering now supports include and exclude, so you can fine-tune results (e.g. show RPGs but hide ports).
Improved
Better platform grouping when browsing, with more accurate name matching.
PriceCharting imports now match games to the right platform more reliably.
Fixed
Homebrew titles no longer leak into the Official Releases view.
v1.19.0 — June 15, 2026
New
New advanced filter for release region when browsing games.
Improved
Faster journal and notes loading on a game's page, with the side rail no longer flashing when you click between entries.
Fixed
The "Released" filter no longer includes games with a TBD release date.
v1.18.0 — June 14, 2026
Improved
Across-the-board speed improvements to game pages and franchise pages, so things load quicker — especially on heavily-visited titles.
v1.17.0 — June 14, 2026
New
Journals, Notes, and Gallery now use a cleaner two-pane layout (list on one side, full view on the other) when browsing by game.
Improved
Faster loading on individual game pages.
v1.16.0 — June 13, 2026
Improved
The form journal editor now includes library search, support for longer text, and a field to record the platform you played on.
v1.15.0 — June 9, 2026
New
Added PriceCharting collection import, so collectors can bring in their existing catalog.
Added a Wishlist status for tracking games you want to get.
The desktop overlay's Notes, Journal, and Gallery panels now support folders for organizing entries.
Improved
Image previews now open in a unified full-screen viewer.
Added a compact rich-text editor for notes and overlay panels.
Added helpful tooltips explaining game ratings.
v1.14.2 — June 7, 2026
Fixed
Resolved the desktop app launching to a black screen with an "Internal Server Error." Existing installs update to this fix automatically.
v1.14.1 — June 6, 2026
Improved
Image thumbnails now generate automatically in the background for faster gallery and feed loading.
v1.14.0 — June 6, 2026
New
Added status and template filters to the desktop library view.
Improved
Smaller image thumbnails for the gallery and feed, so pages load faster and use less data.
The desktop overlay now returns focus to your game when you close it.
v1.13.0 — June 4, 2026
Improved
Better search-engine and social-share previews for franchise pages.
v1.12.2 — June 4, 2026
Improved
Significant speed improvement to how game pages are indexed for search.
v1.12.1 — June 4, 2026
Fixed
Gave the "similar games" feature more time to load on large libraries so it no longer times out.
v1.12.0 — June 4, 2026
New
Added dedicated franchise pages with their own URLs and a breadcrumb trail to help you navigate.
Fixed
Resolved an issue with certain game links not opening the right detail page.
v1.11.5–1.11.6 — June 2, 2026
Fixed
Social-share previews for games now show the box art with the correct image, and the default share card is now fully branded.
v1.11.0–1.11.4 — June 2, 2026
New
Public game and discovery pages now render with full metadata for search engines and social sharing, with proper titles, descriptions, and share cards.
v1.10.1 — May 31, 2026
Fixed
Improved reliability of the "similar games" feature on larger libraries.
v1.10.0 — May 31, 2026
New
Added a Downloads section in Settings with a direct Windows desktop-app download button.
Improved
Stronger account security, including login rate limiting.
After subscribing, you're now guided straight to the desktop app download.
Fixed
Resolved Twitch login issues and other sign-in edge cases.
v1.9.1 — May 28, 2026
Fixed
Corrected the Windows installer filename for desktop releases.
v1.9.0 — May 28, 2026
New
Published the Windows desktop installer with automatic updates.
Added self-serve display name changes (with moderation).
Improved
Reframed the Pro subscription around the desktop app experience.
Deleting a post now properly cleans up its stored images.
v1.8.0 — May 28, 2026
Improved
Public images now serve through a CDN for faster loading worldwide.
v1.7.0 — May 28, 2026
Improved
Internal storage and admin improvements.
v1.6.0–1.6.3 — May 27, 2026
New
The desktop app now has its own custom Retrospect icon (tray, taskbar, and favicon).
Fixed
Several desktop build and packaging fixes so installs launch cleanly.
v1.5.0 — May 27, 2026
New
Added a Steam-style in-game overlay dock with compact panels, so you can journal, take notes, and browse your gallery without leaving your game.
Added a screenshot-to-gallery global shortcut (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+J).
Journal folders for organizing entries.
Per-user game status with an "Add to Library with Status" flow.
A global feed at /feed, with optional game tagging when you post.
A dedicated Copies list page for tracking your physical and digital copies.
Apply templates directly from the journal editor.
Anonymous browsing — explore the app before signing in.
Improved
Increased the image upload limit from 5 MB to 20 MB.
Per-user storage quotas (3 GB free / 50 GB Pro).
Smaller desktop install size (about 30% lighter).
Added a user avatar to the top navigation.
v1.4 — May 14, 2026
Improved
Added IGDB attribution links and cleaned up version labeling.
v1.3 — May 14, 2026
New
Collection curation fields (condition, region, completeness) with image upload.
Save a journal entry as a reusable template, with versioning and sharing.
Document editor now auto-saves as you write.
Improved
Renamed the Windows 98 theme to "Retro OS 98."
Added an app version indicator in the footer.
v1.2 — May 1, 2026
Improved
Removed the automatic "Released" filter default so you see more results out of the box.
Faster sorting in Discover.
v1.1 — May 1, 2026
Fixed
Production stability fix for database connections.
v1.0 — May 1, 2026 (Launch)
The first public release of Retrospect — a home for everything you play.
Highlights at launch
Browse and search a full game database with filters for genre, platform, release year, and more.
Journaling in document, form, and canvas styles.
Game reviews and ratings, plus per-game community feeds.
Steam achievement tracking on game detail pages.
Similar-games suggestions and an "I'm Feeling Lucky" random game button.
Platform detail pages.
A cross-platform desktop app with global shortcuts.
Privacy-first by design: notes and journal entries are encrypted at rest.
Manual backup export and import.
Global search across games, journals, notes, and reviews.
