diff --git a/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.cpp b/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.cpp
index 2b61b2942..04115fcb5 100644
--- a/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //  ApplicationUpdater.cpp
 //
 //  Checks for application updates.
-//  In the future updates will also be downloaded and possibly installed.
+//  In the future updates will also be downloaded, and installed on some platforms.
 //
 
 #include "ApplicationUpdater.h"
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "EmulationStation.h"
 #include "Log.h"
 #include "Settings.h"
+#include "resources/ResourceManager.h"
 #include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "utils/TimeUtil.h"
 
@@ -23,17 +24,39 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <deque>
 
+#define LOCAL_TESTING_FILE false
 #define MAX_DOWNLOAD_TIME 1
 
 ApplicationUpdater::ApplicationUpdater()
-    : mTimer {0}
+    : mPackageType {PackageType::UNKNOWN}
+    , mTimer {0}
     , mMaxTime {0}
     , mAbortDownload {false}
     , mApplicationShutdown {false}
     , mCheckedForUpdate {false}
+    , mNewVersion {false}
 {
     mUrl = "https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/18817634/repository/files/latest_release.json/"
            "raw?ref=master";
+
+#if defined(_WIN64)
+    if (Settings::getInstance()->getBool("PortableMode"))
+        mPackageType = PackageType::WINDOWS_PORTABLE;
+    else
+        mPackageType = PackageType::WINDOWS_INSTALLER;
+#elif defined(MACOS_APPLE_CPU)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::MACOS_APPLE;
+#elif defined(MACOS_INTEL_CPU)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::MACOS_INTEL;
+#elif defined(STEAM_DECK)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::LINUX_STEAM_DECK_APPIMAGE;
+#elif defined(APPIMAGE_BUILD)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::LINUX_APPIMAGE;
+#elif defined(LINUX_RPM_PACKAGE)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::LINUX_RPM;
+#elif defined(LINUX_DEB_PACKAGE)
+    mPackageType = PackageType::LINUX_DEB;
+#endif
 }
 
 ApplicationUpdater::~ApplicationUpdater()
@@ -44,6 +67,12 @@ ApplicationUpdater::~ApplicationUpdater()
         mThread->join();
 }
 
+ApplicationUpdater& ApplicationUpdater::getInstance()
+{
+    static ApplicationUpdater instance;
+    return instance;
+}
+
 void ApplicationUpdater::checkForUpdates()
 {
     const std::string updateFrequency {
@@ -176,10 +205,25 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::update()
 void ApplicationUpdater::parseFile()
 {
     assert(mRequest->status() == HttpReq::REQ_SUCCESS);
-
-    const std::string fileContents {mRequest->getContent()};
     rapidjson::Document doc;
+
+#if (LOCAL_TESTING_FILE)
+    LOG(LogWarning) << "ApplicationUpdater: Using local \"latest_release.json\" testing file";
+
+    const std::string localReleaseFile {Utils::FileSystem::getHomePath() +
+                                        "/.emulationstation/latest_release.json"};
+
+    if (!Utils::FileSystem::exists(localReleaseFile))
+        throw std::runtime_error("Local testing file not found");
+
+    const ResourceData& localReleaseFileData {
+        ResourceManager::getInstance().getFileData(localReleaseFile)};
+    doc.Parse(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(localReleaseFileData.ptr.get()),
+              localReleaseFileData.length);
+#else
+    const std::string fileContents {mRequest->getContent()};
     doc.Parse(&fileContents[0], fileContents.length());
+#endif
 
     if (doc.HasParseError())
         throw std::runtime_error(rapidjson::GetParseError_En(doc.GetParseError()));
@@ -289,14 +333,14 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::compareVersions()
 #endif
     }
 
-    bool newVersion {false};
+    mNewVersion = false;
 
     for (auto& releaseType : releaseTypes) {
         // If the version does not follow the semantic versioning scheme then always consider it to
         // be a new release as perhaps the version scheme will be changed sometime in the future.
         if (count_if(releaseType->version.cbegin(), releaseType->version.cend(),
                      [](char c) { return c == '.'; }) != 2) {
-            newVersion = true;
+            mNewVersion = true;
         }
         else {
             std::vector<std::string> fileVersion {
@@ -328,45 +372,35 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::compareVersions()
                 ++versionWeight;
 
             if (versionWeight > 0)
-                newVersion = true;
+                mNewVersion = true;
         }
-        if (newVersion) {
-            std::string message;
 
+        if (mNewVersion) {
             for (auto& package : releaseType->packages) {
-#if defined(_WIN64)
-                if (Settings::getInstance()->getBool("PortableMode")) {
-                    if (package.name == "WindowsPortable")
-                        message = package.message;
-                }
-                else {
-                    if (package.name == "WindowsInstaller")
-                        message = package.message;
-                }
-#elif defined(MACOS_APPLE_CPU)
-                if (package.name == "macOSApple")
-                    message = package.message;
-#elif defined(MACOS_INTEL_CPU)
-                if (package.name == "macOSIntel")
-                    message = package.message;
-#elif defined(STEAM_DECK)
-                if (package.name == "LinuxSteamDeckAppImage")
-                    message = package.message;
-#elif defined(APPIMAGE_BUILD)
-                if (package.name == "LinuxAppImage")
-                    message = package.message;
-#elif defined(LINUX_DEB_PACKAGE)
-                if (package.name == "LinuxDEB")
-                    message = package.message;
-#elif defined(LINUX_RPM_PACKAGE)
-                if (package.name == "LinuxRPM")
-                    message = package.message;
-#endif
-                auto tempVar = package;
+                if (mPackageType == PackageType::WINDOWS_PORTABLE &&
+                    package.name == "WindowsPortable")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::WINDOWS_INSTALLER &&
+                         package.name == "WindowsInstaller")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::MACOS_APPLE && package.name == "macOSApple")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::MACOS_INTEL && package.name == "macOSIntel")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::LINUX_DEB && package.name == "LinuxDEB")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::LINUX_RPM && package.name == "LinuxRPM")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::LINUX_APPIMAGE &&
+                         package.name == "LinuxAppImage")
+                    mPackage = package;
+                else if (mPackageType == PackageType::LINUX_STEAM_DECK_APPIMAGE &&
+                         package.name == "LinuxSteamDeckAppImage")
+                    mPackage = package;
             }
 
             // Cut the message to 280 characters so we don't make the message box exceedingly large.
-            message = message.substr(0, 280);
+            mPackage.message = mPackage.message.substr(0, 280);
 
             mLogInfo = "A new ";
             mLogInfo.append(releaseType == &mStableRelease ? "stable release" : "prerelease")
@@ -387,20 +421,20 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::compareVersions()
                 .append("can now be downloaded from\n")
                 .append("https://es-de.org/");
 
-            if (message != "")
-                mResults.append("\n").append(message);
+            if (mPackage.message != "")
+                mResults.append("\n").append(mPackage.message);
 
             mResults = Utils::String::toUpper(mResults);
             break;
         }
     }
-    if (!newVersion) {
+    if (!mNewVersion) {
         mLogInfo = "No application updates available";
     }
     mCheckedForUpdate = true;
 }
 
-void ApplicationUpdater::getResults(std::string& results)
+bool ApplicationUpdater::getResults()
 {
     mAbortDownload = true;
 
@@ -408,8 +442,6 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::getResults(std::string& results)
         mThread->join();
         mThread.reset();
         if (mCheckedForUpdate) {
-            if (mResults != "")
-                results = mResults;
             Settings::getInstance()->setString(
                 "ApplicationUpdaterLastCheck",
                 Utils::Time::DateTime(Utils::Time::now()).getIsoString());
@@ -428,4 +460,11 @@ void ApplicationUpdater::getResults(std::string& results)
     if (mLogInfo != "") {
         LOG(LogInfo) << mLogInfo;
     }
+
+    if (mNewVersion && mPackage.name == "") {
+        LOG(LogWarning)
+            << "ApplicationUpdater: Couldn't find a package type matching current platform";
+    }
+
+    return mNewVersion;
 }
diff --git a/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.h b/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.h
index e70d8c059..2f4deb3f7 100644
--- a/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.h
+++ b/es-app/src/ApplicationUpdater.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //  ApplicationUpdater.h
 //
 //  Checks for application updates.
-//  In the future updates will also be downloaded and possibly installed.
+//  In the future updates will also be downloaded, and installed on some platforms.
 //
 
 #ifndef ES_APP_APPLICATION_UPDATER_H
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 class ApplicationUpdater : public AsyncHandle
 {
 public:
-    ApplicationUpdater();
-    ~ApplicationUpdater();
+    virtual ~ApplicationUpdater();
+    static ApplicationUpdater& getInstance();
 
     void checkForUpdates();
     void updaterThread();
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ public:
     void update();
     void parseFile();
     void compareVersions();
-    void getResults(std::string& results);
+    bool getResults();
 
-private:
     struct Package {
         std::string name;
         std::string filename;
@@ -41,6 +40,12 @@ private:
         std::string message;
     };
 
+    const std::string& getResultsString() { return mResults; }
+    const Package& getPackageInfo() { return mPackage; }
+
+private:
+    ApplicationUpdater();
+
     struct Release {
         std::string releaseType;
         std::string version;
@@ -49,6 +54,20 @@ private:
         std::vector<Package> packages;
     };
 
+    enum class PackageType {
+        WINDOWS_PORTABLE,
+        WINDOWS_INSTALLER,
+        MACOS_APPLE,
+        MACOS_INTEL,
+        LINUX_DEB,
+        LINUX_RPM,
+        LINUX_APPIMAGE,
+        LINUX_STEAM_DECK_APPIMAGE,
+        UNKNOWN
+    };
+
+    PackageType mPackageType;
+    Package mPackage;
     std::string mUrl;
     std::string mResults;
     std::string mLogInfo;
@@ -59,6 +78,7 @@ private:
     std::atomic<bool> mAbortDownload;
     std::atomic<bool> mApplicationShutdown;
     bool mCheckedForUpdate;
+    bool mNewVersion;
 
     std::unique_ptr<std::thread> mThread;
     std::unique_ptr<HttpReq> mRequest;
diff --git a/es-app/src/main.cpp b/es-app/src/main.cpp
index eb6caf07e..78181f240 100644
--- a/es-app/src/main.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/main.cpp
@@ -720,11 +720,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
 
 #if defined(APPLICATION_UPDATER)
-    std::unique_ptr<ApplicationUpdater> applicationUpdater;
-    if (!noUpdateCheck) {
-        applicationUpdater = std::make_unique<ApplicationUpdater>();
-        applicationUpdater->checkForUpdates();
-    }
+    if (!noUpdateCheck)
+        ApplicationUpdater::getInstance().checkForUpdates();
 #endif
 
     window->pushGui(ViewController::getInstance());
@@ -773,14 +770,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
 
     if (!SystemData::sStartupExitSignal) {
-        std::string updaterResults;
-        if (loadSystemsStatus == loadSystemsReturnCode::LOADING_OK) {
+        if (loadSystemsStatus == loadSystemsReturnCode::LOADING_OK)
             ThemeData::themeLoadedLogOutput();
-#if defined(APPLICATION_UPDATER)
-            if (!noUpdateCheck)
-                applicationUpdater->getResults(updaterResults);
-#endif
-        }
 
         if (!loadSystemsStatus)
             ViewController::getInstance()->goToStart(true);
@@ -800,11 +791,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         lastTime = SDL_GetTicks();
 
-#if defined(APPLICATION_UPDATER)
-        if (!noUpdateCheck)
-            applicationUpdater.reset();
-#endif
-
         LOG(LogInfo) << "Application startup time: "
                      << std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(
                             std::chrono::system_clock::now() - applicationStartTime)
@@ -812,8 +798,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                      << " ms";
 
 #if defined(APPLICATION_UPDATER)
-        if (updaterResults != "")
-            ViewController::getInstance()->updateAvailableDialog(updaterResults);
+        if (ApplicationUpdater::getInstance().getResults())
+            ViewController::getInstance()->updateAvailableDialog();
 #endif
 
         // Open the input configuration GUI if the force flag was passed from the command line.
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 2c956c6f7..9356bf3bc 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "views/ViewController.h"
 
+#include "ApplicationUpdater.h"
 #include "CollectionSystemsManager.h"
 #include "FileFilterIndex.h"
 #include "InputManager.h"
@@ -211,10 +212,23 @@ void ViewController::invalidAlternativeEmulatorDialog()
                                    "OK", nullptr, "", nullptr, "", nullptr, true, true));
 }
 
-void ViewController::updateAvailableDialog(const std::string& message)
+void ViewController::updateAvailableDialog()
 {
     cancelViewTransitions();
-    mWindow->pushGui(new GuiMsgBox(getHelpStyle(), message, "OK", nullptr, "", nullptr, "", nullptr,
+
+    std::string results {ApplicationUpdater::getInstance().getResultsString()};
+    ApplicationUpdater::Package package {ApplicationUpdater::getInstance().getPackageInfo()};
+
+    if (package.name != "") {
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "ViewController::updateAvailableDialog(): Package filename \""
+                      << package.filename << "\"";
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "ViewController::updateAvailableDialog(): Package url \"" << package.url
+                      << "\"";
+        LOG(LogDebug) << "ViewController::updateAvailableDialog(): Package md5 \"" << package.md5
+                      << "\"";
+    }
+
+    mWindow->pushGui(new GuiMsgBox(getHelpStyle(), results, "OK", nullptr, "", nullptr, "", nullptr,
                                    true, true,
                                    (mRenderer->getIsVerticalOrientation() ?
                                         0.70f :
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
index db127ea9e..65fa0244a 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
     void invalidSystemsFileDialog();
     void noGamesDialog();
     void invalidAlternativeEmulatorDialog();
-    void updateAvailableDialog(const std::string& message);
+    void updateAvailableDialog();
 
     // Try to completely populate the GamelistView map.
     // Caches things so there's no pauses during transitions.