diff --git a/Windows/main.cpp b/Windows/main.cpp
index 4d0debc8d2..414c1cb0b8 100644
--- a/Windows/main.cpp
+++ b/Windows/main.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE _hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR szCmdLin
 
 	bool debugLogLevel = false;
 
-	const std::wstring gpuBackend = L"--gfx=";
+	const std::wstring gpuBackend = L"--graphics=";
 
 	// The rest is handled in NativeInit().
 	for (size_t i = 1; i < wideArgs.size(); ++i) {
@@ -465,10 +465,23 @@ int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE _hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR szCmdLin
 			if (wideArgs[i].find(gpuBackend) != std::wstring::npos && wideArgs[i].size() > gpuBackend.size()) {
 				const std::wstring restOfOption = wideArgs[i].substr(gpuBackend.size());
 
-				if (restOfOption == L"d3d")
+				// Force software rendering off, as picking directx9 or gles implies HW acceleration.
+				// Once software rendering supports Direct3D9/11, we can add more options for software,
+				// such as "software-gles", "software-d3d9", and "software-d3d11", or something similar.
+				// For now, software rendering force-activates OpenGL.
+				if (restOfOption == L"directx9") {
 					g_Config.iGPUBackend = GPU_BACKEND_DIRECT3D9;
-				else if (restOfOption == L"ogl")
+					g_Config.bSoftwareRendering = false;
+				}
+				else if (restOfOption == L"gles") {
 					g_Config.iGPUBackend = GPU_BACKEND_OPENGL;
+					g_Config.bSoftwareRendering = false;
+				}
+				
+				else if (restOfOption == L"software") {
+					g_Config.iGPUBackend = GPU_BACKEND_OPENGL;
+					g_Config.bSoftwareRendering = true;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}