Copilot AI says this:
Yes, it's definitely possible, but screen sharing is usually not the best way if you want both players to actively participate.
Here are the main options, from simplest to best:
Option 1: Share Your Screen + Remote Control
Use:
Microsoft Teams
Discord
Parsec
AnyDesk
TeamViewer
How it works
You run the Atari ST emulator locally.
Share your screen.
Grant your friend remote keyboard/joystick control.
Pros
Very easy to set up.
Works with almost any emulator.
No need to distribute ROMs.
Cons
Input lag.
Only one machine runs the game.
If your connection stutters, gameplay suffers.
Parsec is generally the best solution for retro gaming because it's designed for low latency.
Option 2: Emulator with Netplay (Best Gaming Experience)
Some emulators support online multiplayer directly.
Depending on the Atari ST emulator:
Hatari
Steem SSE
RetroArch (with compatible cores)
RetroArch is particularly interesting because it supports:
Netplay
Spectator mode
Synchronised gameplay
In this setup both players run the emulator and game locally, and only inputs are transmitted across the network.
Pros
Extremely low bandwidth.
Very low latency.
Better game experience.
Cons
Both players need the emulator and game files.
Option 3: Host the Emulator in a Browser
This sounds closest to what you're describing.
You could host an Atari ST emulator on a web server using:
WebAssembly
JavaScript emulator ports
Emscripten builds
Examples include browser-based retro systems such as:
EmulatorJS
js-dos
various WebAssembly emulator projects
Users would simply visit:
https://my-retro-site.com/atari
and play in the browser.
Challenge
Most browser emulators are designed for a single player.
To support two remote players you'd need:
Shared game state
WebRTC
Multiplayer input synchronisation
Or remote streaming
This becomes a custom development project.
Option 4: Cloud Gaming Style (Probably the Best Overall)
Host the emulator on:
Azure VM
AWS EC2
Home server
Gaming PC
Then stream it using:
Parsec
Sunshine + Moonlight
Steam Remote Play
Your friend connects and joins your session.
Advantages
Looks like local gameplay.
Excellent latency.
Both can use controllers.
No emulator setup on your friend's machine.
For retro games this works extremely well because the bandwidth requirements are low.
Option 5: Play Directly Inside Microsoft Teams
If you're thinking about "inside the recipient's web interface" (for example Teams or Outlook):
You could build a custom web app:
Teams Tab App
└─ Atari Emulator
└─ Shared Session
└─ WebRTC Inputs
The emulator runs in a browser tab embedded in Teams.
This is technically possible, but considerably more complex than using Parsec or RetroArch Netplay.
My Recommendation
For the least effort and best experience:
Two-player co-op
Parsec
Install emulator on your PC.
Start game.
Invite friend.
Give controller access.
If both players are technical
RetroArch Netplay
Lowest latency.
Most authentic multiplayer setup.
If you want to create a website anyone can join
EmulatorJS + WebRTC multiplayer layer
Most flexible.
Requires web development.
For an Atari ST game specifically, I'd probably use Hatari or RetroArch running on a PC and invite the friend through Parsec. That gives you a "sit-on-the-same-sofa" experience with very little setup.