MAME 0.288 was released on May 29, 2026. Here’s a summary of the main new features and changes:
Major Project Changes
Migration to C++20.
Increased system requirements:
Windows 10 or newer is now mandatory.
Windows x64 builds are now compiled with Clang (UCRT + libc++) for better consistency with Arm64 builds.
Major cleanup of old code (removal of obsolete back-ends, SysV support, etc.).
Important Update on Release Schedule:
Starting after version 0.287, the MAME team has changed their release policy:
They are no longer releasing every month.
Releases will now be less frequent (longer development cycles).
They already skipped April 2026 (no 0.288 in April).
Version 0.288 came out on May 29, 2026.
It is currently unclear exactly when 0.289 will be released. It could be in July, August, or even later, depending on the team's progress.
This change was made to allow more time for bigger improvements and better code quality.
I hope you don't have a MAMECAB with a windows 7 OS anymore ! I know a few people who have this problem, bad news for them...
So for those who still have WINDOWS 7 OS, only 0.287 and lower versions will be compatible.