diff --git a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
index adbb88889..ffe722cda 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "utils/TimeUtil.h"
 #include "views/UIModeController.h"
+#include "views/ViewController.h"
 #include "AudioManager.h"
 #include "CollectionSystemsManager.h"
 #include "FileFilterIndex.h"
@@ -953,19 +954,13 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
     LOG(LogInfo) << "Expanded emulator launch command:";
 
     LOG(LogInfo) << command;
+    // Possibly keep ES-DE running in the background while the game is launched.
     #if defined(_WIN64)
-    if (mSystem->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM) ||
-            Settings::getInstance()->getBool("RunInBackground"))
-        returnValue = launchGameWindows(Utils::String::stringToWideString(command), true);
-    else
-        returnValue = launchGameWindows(Utils::String::stringToWideString(command), false);
+    returnValue = launchGameWindows(Utils::String::stringToWideString(command),
+            ViewController::get()->runInBackground(mSystem));
     #else
-    if (mSystem->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM))
-        returnValue = launchGameUnix(command, true);
-    else
-        returnValue = launchGameUnix(command, false);
+    returnValue = launchGameUnix(command, ViewController::get()->runInBackground(mSystem));
     #endif
-
     // Notify the user in case of a failed game launch using a popup window.
     if (returnValue != 0) {
         LOG(LogWarning) << "...launch terminated with nonzero return value " << returnValue;
@@ -978,21 +973,20 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
     else {
         // Stop showing the game launch notification.
         window->stopInfoPopup();
-        #if  defined(_WIN64)
-        // If starting a Steam game or if the "RunInBackground" setting has been enabled,
-        // then keep ES-DE running while the game is launched. This pauses any video and keeps
-        // the screensaver from getting activated.
-        if (mSystem->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM) ||
-                Settings::getInstance()->getBool("RunInBackground"))
+        #if defined(_WIN64)
+        // For some game systems or if the "RunInBackground" setting has been enabled, keep
+        // ES-DE running while the game is launched. This pauses any video and keeps the
+        // screensaver from getting activated.
+        if (ViewController::get()->runInBackground(mSystem))
             window->setLaunchedGame();
         else
             // Normalize deltaTime so that the screensaver does not start immediately
             // when returning from the game.
             window->normalizeNextUpdate();
         #else
-        // If starting a Steam game, then keep ES-DE running while the game is launched.
+        // For some game systems we need to keep ES-DE running while the game is launched.
         // This pauses any video and keeps the screensaver from getting activated.
-        if (mSystem->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM))
+        if (ViewController::get()->runInBackground(mSystem))
             window->setLaunchedGame();
         // Normalize deltaTime so that the screensaver does not start immediately
         // when returning from the game.
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 4081e0f63..8bfc29de8 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -614,6 +614,22 @@ void ViewController::onFileChanged(FileData* file, bool reloadGameList)
         it->second->onFileChanged(file, reloadGameList);
 }
 
+bool ViewController::runInBackground(SystemData* system)
+{
+    #if defined(_WIN64)
+    if (system->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM) ||
+            Settings::getInstance()->getBool("RunInBackground"))
+        return true;
+    else
+        return false;
+    #else
+    if (system->hasPlatformId(PlatformIds::VALVE_STEAM))
+        return true;
+    else
+        return false;
+    #endif
+}
+
 void ViewController::launch(FileData* game)
 {
     if (game->getType() != GAME) {
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
index f8c50deda..6f3d6475e 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ public:
     std::shared_ptr<SystemView> getSystemListView();
     void removeGameListView(SystemData* system);
 
+    // Whether to run in the background while a game is launched.
+    bool runInBackground(SystemData* system);
+
     static const std::string FAVORITE_CHAR;
     static const std::string FOLDER_CHAR;
     static const std::string TICKMARK_CHAR;