diff --git a/es-app/src/CollectionSystemsManager.cpp b/es-app/src/CollectionSystemsManager.cpp
index 54dcb845f..1ce5f9555 100644
--- a/es-app/src/CollectionSystemsManager.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/CollectionSystemsManager.cpp
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ std::string CollectionSystemsManager::getValidNewCollectionName(std::string inNa
         LOG(LogInfo) << "Had to change name, from: " << inName << " to: " << name;
     }
 
-    // Get used systems from es_systems.cfg.
+    // Get used systems from es_systems.xml.
     std::vector<std::string> systemsInUse = getSystemsFromConfig();
     // Get folders assigned to custom collections.
     std::vector<std::string> autoSys = getCollectionThemeFolders(false);
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ FileData* CollectionSystemsManager::updateCollectionFolderMetadata(SystemData* s
 
 std::vector<std::string> CollectionSystemsManager::getUnusedSystemsFromTheme()
 {
-    // Get used systems in es_systems.cfg.
+    // Get used systems in es_systems.xml.
     std::vector<std::string> systemsInUse = getSystemsFromConfig();
     // Get available folders in theme.
     std::vector<std::string> themeSys = getSystemsFromTheme();
diff --git a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
index 80a2f5a0c..81deec067 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
         return;
     }
 
-    // If %EMUPATH% is used in es_systems.cfg for this system, then check that the core file
+    // If %EMUPATH% is used in es_systems.xml for this system, then check that the core file
     // actually exists.
     auto emuPathPos = command.find("%EMUPATH%");
     if (emuPathPos != std::string::npos) {
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
             }
         }
         else {
-            LOG(LogError) << "Invalid entry in systems configuration file es_systems.cfg";
+            LOG(LogError) << "Invalid entry in systems configuration file es_systems.xml";
             LOG(LogError) << "Raw emulator launch command:";
             LOG(LogError) << commandRaw;
 
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
         }
     }
 
-    // If %COREPATH% is used in es_systems.cfg for this system, try to find the emulator
+    // If %COREPATH% is used in es_systems.xml for this system, try to find the emulator
     // core using the core paths defined in the setting EmulatorCorePath.
     auto corePos = command.find("%COREPATH%");
     if (corePos != std::string::npos && emulatorCorePath.size() > 0) {
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
             }
         }
         else {
-            LOG(LogError) << "Invalid entry in systems configuration file es_systems.cfg";
+            LOG(LogError) << "Invalid entry in systems configuration file es_systems.xml";
             LOG(LogError) << "Raw emulator launch command:";
             LOG(LogError) << commandRaw;
 
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
         }
     }
     else if (corePos != std::string::npos) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "The variable %COREPATH% is used in es_systems.cfg but " \
+        LOG(LogError) << "The variable %COREPATH% is used in es_systems.xml but " \
                 "no paths are defined using the setting EmulatorCorePath";
         GuiInfoPopup* s = new GuiInfoPopup(window, "ERROR: NO CORE PATHS CONFIGURED, " \
                 "CAN'T LOCATE EMULATOR CORE", 6000);
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ std::string FileData::findEmulatorPath(const std::string& command)
     // just the program name, assuming the binary is in the PATH variable of the operating
     // system, or it could be an absolute path to the emulator. (In the latter case, if
     // there is a space in the the path, it needs to be enclosed by quotation marks in
-    // es_systems.cfg.)
+    // es_systems.xml.)
     std::string emuExecutable;
     std::string exePath;
 
diff --git a/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp b/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
index d199b9c64..d06fe56ff 100644
--- a/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //  SystemData.cpp
 //
 //  Provides data structures for the game systems and populates and indexes them based
-//  on the configuration in es_systems.cfg as well as the presence of game ROM files.
+//  on the configuration in es_systems.xml as well as the presence of game ROM files.
 //  Also provides functions to read and write to the gamelist files and to handle theme
 //  loading.
 //
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void SystemData::setIsGameSystemStatus()
 {
     // We exclude non-game systems from specific operations (i.e. the "RetroPie" system, at least).
     // If/when there are more in the future, maybe this can be a more complex method, with a proper
-    // list but for now a simple string comparison is more performant.
+    // list but for now a simple string comparison is enough.
     mIsGameSystem = (mName != "retropie");
 }
 
@@ -230,16 +230,9 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
 {
     deleteSystems();
 
-    std::string path = getConfigPath(false);
+    std::string path = getConfigPath(true);
     const std::string rompath = FileData::getROMDirectory();
 
-    if (!Utils::FileSystem::exists(path)) {
-        LOG(LogInfo) << "Systems configuration file does not exist";
-        if (copyConfigTemplate(getConfigPath(true)))
-            return true;
-        path = getConfigPath(false);
-    }
-
     LOG(LogInfo) << "Parsing systems configuration file \"" << path << "\"...";
 
     pugi::xml_document doc;
@@ -250,8 +243,7 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
     #endif
 
     if (!res) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "Couldn't parse es_systems.cfg";
-        LOG(LogError) << res.description();
+        LOG(LogError) << "Couldn't parse es_systems.xml: " << res.description();
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -259,7 +251,7 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
     pugi::xml_node systemList = doc.child("systemList");
 
     if (!systemList) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "es_systems.cfg is missing the <systemList> tag";
+        LOG(LogError) << "es_systems.xml is missing the <systemList> tag";
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -276,7 +268,7 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
         path = system.child("path").text().get();
 
         // If there is a %ROMPATH% variable set for the system, expand it. By doing this
-        // it's possible to use either absolute ROM paths in es_systems.cfg or to utilize
+        // it's possible to use either absolute ROM paths in es_systems.xml or to utilize
         // the ROM path configured as ROMDirectory in es_settings.cfg. If it's set to ""
         // in this configuration file, the default hardcoded path $HOME/ROMs/ will be used.
         path = Utils::String::replace(path, "%ROMPATH%", rompath);
@@ -346,7 +338,7 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
 
         if (name.empty()) {
             LOG(LogError) <<
-                    "A system in the es_systems.cfg file has no name defined, skipping entry";
+                    "A system in the es_systems.xml file has no name defined, skipping entry";
             continue;
         }
         else if (fullname.empty() || path.empty() || extensions.empty() || cmd.empty()) {
@@ -413,38 +405,6 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
     return false;
 }
 
-bool SystemData::copyConfigTemplate(const std::string& path)
-{
-    std::string systemsTemplateFile;;
-
-    LOG(LogInfo) <<
-            "Attempting to copy template es_systems.cfg file from the resources directory...";
-
-    #if defined(_WIN64)
-    systemsTemplateFile = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
-            getResourcePath(":/templates/es_systems.cfg_windows", false);
-    #elif defined(__APPLE__)
-    systemsTemplateFile = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
-            getResourcePath(":/templates/es_systems.cfg_macos", false);
-    #else
-    systemsTemplateFile = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
-            getResourcePath(":/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix", false);
-    #endif
-
-    if (systemsTemplateFile == "") {
-        LOG(LogError) << "Can't find the es_systems.cfg template file";
-        return true;
-    }
-    else if (Utils::FileSystem::copyFile(systemsTemplateFile, path, false)) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "Copying of es_systems.cfg template file failed";
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    LOG(LogInfo) << "Template es_systems.cfg file copied successfully";
-
-    return false;
-}
-
 void SystemData::deleteSystems()
 {
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < sSystemVector.size(); i++)
@@ -453,13 +413,49 @@ void SystemData::deleteSystems()
     sSystemVector.clear();
 }
 
-std::string SystemData::getConfigPath(bool forWrite)
+std::string SystemData::getConfigPath(bool legacyWarning)
 {
-    std::string path = Utils::FileSystem::getHomePath() + "/.emulationstation/es_systems.cfg";
-    if (forWrite || Utils::FileSystem::exists(path))
-        return path;
+    if (legacyWarning) {
+        std::string legacyConfigFile = Utils::FileSystem::getHomePath() +
+                "/.emulationstation/es_systems.cfg";
 
-    return "";
+        if (Utils::FileSystem::exists(legacyConfigFile)) {
+            LOG(LogInfo) << "Found legacy systems configuration file \"" << legacyConfigFile <<
+                    "\", to retain your customizations move it to "
+                    "\"custom_systems/es_systems.xml\" or otherwise delete the file";
+        }
+    }
+
+    std::string customSystemsDirectory =
+            Utils::FileSystem::getHomePath() + "/.emulationstation/custom_systems";
+
+    if (!Utils::FileSystem::exists(customSystemsDirectory)) {
+        LOG(LogInfo) << "Creating custom systems directory \"" << customSystemsDirectory << "\"";
+        Utils::FileSystem::createDirectory(customSystemsDirectory);
+        if (!Utils::FileSystem::exists(customSystemsDirectory)) {
+            LOG(LogError) << "Couldn't create directory, permission problems?";
+        }
+    }
+
+    std::string path = customSystemsDirectory + "/es_systems.xml";
+
+    if (Utils::FileSystem::exists(path)) {
+        LOG(LogInfo) << "Found custom systems configuration file";
+        return path;
+    }
+
+    #if defined(_WIN64)
+    path = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
+            getResourcePath(":/systems/windows/es_systems.xml", true);
+    #elif defined(__APPLE__)
+    path = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
+            getResourcePath(":/systems/macos/es_systems.xml", true);
+    #else
+    path = ResourceManager::getInstance()->
+            getResourcePath(":/systems/unix/es_systems.xml", true);
+    #endif
+
+    return path;
 }
 
 bool SystemData::createSystemDirectories()
@@ -501,7 +497,7 @@ bool SystemData::createSystemDirectories()
     #endif
 
     if (!res) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "Couldn't parse es_systems.cfg";
+        LOG(LogError) << "Couldn't parse es_systems.xml";
         LOG(LogError) << res.description();
         return true;
     }
@@ -510,7 +506,7 @@ bool SystemData::createSystemDirectories()
     pugi::xml_node systemList = doc.child("systemList");
 
     if (!systemList) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "es_systems.cfg is missing the <systemList> tag";
+        LOG(LogError) << "es_systems.xml is missing the <systemList> tag";
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/es-app/src/SystemData.h b/es-app/src/SystemData.h
index 80d4b7a5c..1d5671aa5 100644
--- a/es-app/src/SystemData.h
+++ b/es-app/src/SystemData.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //  SystemData.h
 //
 //  Provides data structures for the game systems and populates and indexes them based
-//  on the configuration in es_systems.cfg as well as the presence of game ROM files.
+//  on the configuration in es_systems.xml as well as the presence of game ROM files.
 //  Also provides functions to read and write to the gamelist files and to handle theme
 //  loading.
 //
@@ -70,11 +70,9 @@ public:
     static void deleteSystems();
     // Loads the systems configuration file at getConfigPath() and creates the systems.
     static bool loadConfig();
+    static std::string getConfigPath(bool legacyWarning);
 
-    static bool copyConfigTemplate(const std::string& path);
-    static std::string getConfigPath(bool forWrite);
-
-    // Generates the game system directories and information files based on es_systems.cfg.
+    // Generates the game system directories and information files based on es_systems.xml.
     static bool createSystemDirectories();
 
     static std::vector<SystemData*> sSystemVector;
diff --git a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMetaDataEd.cpp b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMetaDataEd.cpp
index 0d160ec92..57af195fa 100644
--- a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMetaDataEd.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMetaDataEd.cpp
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ GuiMetaDataEd::GuiMetaDataEd(
                         ed->setColor(TEXTCOLOR_USERMARKED);
                 };
 
-                std::string staticTextString = "Default value from es_systems.cfg:";
+                std::string staticTextString = "Default value from es_systems.xml:";
                 std::string defaultLaunchCommand = scraperParams.system->
                         getSystemEnvData()->mLaunchCommand;
 
diff --git a/es-app/src/main.cpp b/es-app/src/main.cpp
index a0d4a864e..4dc5a95e2 100644
--- a/es-app/src/main.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/main.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ bool forceInputConfig = false;
 bool settingsNeedSaving = false;
 
 enum loadSystemsReturnCode {
-    NO_LOADING_ERROR,
-    NO_SYSTEMS_FILE,
+    LOADING_OK,
+    INVALID_FILE,
     NO_ROMS
 };
 
@@ -372,10 +372,8 @@ bool verifyHomeFolderExists()
 
 loadSystemsReturnCode loadSystemConfigFile()
 {
-    if (SystemData::loadConfig()) {
-        LOG(LogError) << "Could not parse systems configuration file (es_systems.cfg)";
-        return NO_SYSTEMS_FILE;
-    }
+    if (SystemData::loadConfig())
+        return INVALID_FILE;
 
     if (SystemData::sSystemVector.size() == 0) {
         LOG(LogError) << "No game files were found, make sure that the system directories are "
@@ -383,7 +381,7 @@ loadSystemsReturnCode loadSystemConfigFile()
         return NO_ROMS;
     }
 
-    return NO_LOADING_ERROR;
+    return LOADING_OK;
 }
 
 // Called on exit, assuming we get far enough to have the log initialized.
@@ -516,13 +514,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     loadSystemsReturnCode loadSystemsStatus = loadSystemConfigFile();
 
     if (loadSystemsStatus) {
-        // If there was an issue with installing the es_systems.cfg file from the
-        // template directory, then display an error message and let the user quit.
-        // If there are no game files found, give the option to the user to quit or
-        // to configure a different ROM directory as well as to generate the systems
+        // If there was an issue parsing the es_systems.xml file, display an error message.
+        // If there were no game files found, give the option to the user to quit or to
+        // configure a different ROM directory as well as to generate the game systems
         // directory structure.
-        if (loadSystemsStatus == NO_SYSTEMS_FILE) {
-            ViewController::get()->noSystemsFileDialog();
+        if (loadSystemsStatus == INVALID_FILE) {
+            ViewController::get()->invalidSystemsFileDialog();
         }
         else if (loadSystemsStatus == NO_ROMS) {
             ViewController::get()->noGamesDialog();
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 29cca419d..0cc196889 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -87,15 +87,15 @@ ViewController::~ViewController()
     UIModeController::deinit();
 }
 
-void ViewController::noSystemsFileDialog()
+void ViewController::invalidSystemsFileDialog()
 {
     std::string errorMessage =
-            "COULDN'T FIND THE SYSTEMS CONFIGURATION FILE.\n"
-            "ATTEMPTED TO COPY A TEMPLATE es_systems.cfg FILE\n"
-            "FROM THE EMULATIONSTATION RESOURCES DIRECTORY,\n"
-            "BUT THIS FAILED. HAS EMULATIONSTATION BEEN PROPERLY\n"
-            "INSTALLED AND DO YOU HAVE WRITE PERMISSIONS TO \n"
-            "YOUR HOME DIRECTORY?";
+            "COULDN'T PARSE THE SYSTEMS CONFIGURATION FILE.\n"
+            "IF YOU HAVE A CUSTOMIZED es_systems.xml FILE, THEN\n"
+            "SOMETHING IS LIKELY WRONG WITH YOUR XML SYNTAX.\n"
+            "IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CUSTOM SYSTEMS FILE, THEN THE\n"
+            "EMULATIONSTATION INSTALLATION IS BROKEN. SEE THE\n"
+            "APPLICATION LOG FILE es_log.txt FOR ADDITIONAL INFO.";
 
     mWindow->pushGui(new GuiMsgBox(mWindow, HelpStyle(),
             errorMessage.c_str(),
@@ -109,14 +109,13 @@ void ViewController::noSystemsFileDialog()
 void ViewController::noGamesDialog()
 {
     mNoGamesErrorMessage =
-            "THE SYSTEMS CONFIGURATION FILE EXISTS, BUT NO\n"
-            "GAME FILES WERE FOUND. EITHER PLACE YOUR GAMES\n"
-            "IN THE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED ROM DIRECTORY OR\n"
-            "CHANGE IT USING THE BUTTON BELOW. OPTIONALLY THE\n"
-            "ROM DIRECTORY STRUCTURE CAN BE GENERATED WHICH\n"
-            "WILL CREATE A TEXT FILE FOR EACH SYSTEM PROVIDING\n"
-            "SOME INFO SUCH AS THE SUPPORTED FILE EXTENSIONS.\n"
-            "THIS IS THE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED ROM DIRECTORY:\n";
+            "NO GAME FILES WERE FOUND. EITHER PLACE YOUR GAMES IN\n"
+            "THE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED ROM DIRECTORY OR CHANGE\n"
+            "ITS PATH USING THE BUTTON BELOW. OPTIONALLY THE ROM\n"
+            "DIRECTORY STRUCTURE CAN BE GENERATED WHICH WILL\n"
+            "CREATE A TEXT FILE FOR EACH SYSTEM PROVIDING SOME\n"
+            "INFORMATION SUCH AS THE SUPPORTED FILE EXTENSIONS.\n"
+            "THIS IS THE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED ROM PATH:\n";
 
     #if defined(_WIN64)
     mRomDirectory = Utils::String::replace(FileData::getROMDirectory(), "/", "\\");
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ void ViewController::noGamesDialog()
     #endif
 
     mNoGamesMessageBox = new GuiMsgBox(mWindow, HelpStyle(), mNoGamesErrorMessage + mRomDirectory,
-            "CHANGE ROM DIRECTORY", [this] {
+            "CHANGE ROM PATH", [this] {
         std::string currentROMDirectory;
         #if defined(_WIN64)
         currentROMDirectory = Utils::String::replace(FileData::getROMDirectory(), "/", "\\");
@@ -136,8 +135,8 @@ void ViewController::noGamesDialog()
         mWindow->pushGui(new GuiComplexTextEditPopup(
                 mWindow,
                 HelpStyle(),
-                "ENTER ROM DIRECTORY",
-                "Currently configured directory:",
+                "ENTER ROM DIRECTORY PATH",
+                "Currently configured path:",
                 currentROMDirectory,
                 currentROMDirectory,
                 [this](const std::string& newROMDirectory) {
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ void ViewController::noGamesDialog()
     "CREATE DIRECTORIES", [this] {
         mWindow->pushGui(new GuiMsgBox(mWindow, HelpStyle(),
                 "THIS WILL CREATE DIRECTORIES FOR ALL THE\n"
-                "GAME SYSTEMS DEFINED IN es_systems.cfg\n\n"
+                "GAME SYSTEMS DEFINED IN es_systems.xml\n\n"
                 "THIS MAY CREATE A LOT OF FOLDERS SO IT'S\n"
                 "ADVICED TO REMOVE THE ONES YOU DON'T NEED\n\n"
                 "PROCEED?",
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
index 6f3d6475e..ec3e2ade3 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
     virtual ~ViewController();
 
     // These functions are called from main().
-    void noSystemsFileDialog();
+    void invalidSystemsFileDialog();
     void noGamesDialog();
 
     // Try to completely populate the GameListView map.
diff --git a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_macos b/resources/systems/macos/es_systems.xml
similarity index 99%
rename from resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_macos
rename to resources/systems/macos/es_systems.xml
index 4078cda2a..bd1242553 100644
--- a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_macos
+++ b/resources/systems/macos/es_systems.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!-- This is the EmulationStation-DE game systems configuration file for macOS. -->
+<!-- This is the ES-DE game systems configuration file for macOS. -->
 <systemList>
   <system>
     <name>3do</name>
diff --git a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
similarity index 99%
rename from resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix
rename to resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
index 30a19e203..48995b6b6 100644
--- a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix
+++ b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!-- This is the EmulationStation-DE game systems configuration file for Unix. -->
+<!-- This is the ES-DE game systems configuration file for Unix. -->
 <systemList>
   <system>
     <name>3do</name>
diff --git a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix_flatpak b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems_flatpak.xml
similarity index 99%
rename from resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix_flatpak
rename to resources/systems/unix/es_systems_flatpak.xml
index 503bc40f4..05376083a 100644
--- a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_unix_flatpak
+++ b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems_flatpak.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!-- This is the EmulationStation-DE game systems configuration file for Unix, Flatpak specific. -->
+<!-- This is the ES-DE game systems configuration file for Unix, Flatpak specific. -->
 <systemList>
   <system>
     <name>3do</name>
diff --git a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_windows b/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
similarity index 99%
rename from resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_windows
rename to resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
index 3f0b4a299..c9a6c4bb1 100644
--- a/resources/templates/es_systems.cfg_windows
+++ b/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!-- This is the EmulationStation-DE game systems configuration file for Windows. -->
+<!-- This is the ES-DE game systems configuration file for Windows. -->
 <systemList>
   <system>
     <name>3do</name>