Dolphin, an emulator that allowed gamers to play GameCube and Wii games on their computers, was set to release on Valve’s Steam service in Q2 of 2023. The emulator’s release promised modern controller support, 4K display support, netplay, and was fully open-source. The release was also noted to be a free download, though it required players to own an original copy of any game they wished to play.
The DMCA issue
However, in an update on the Dolphin website, it was announced that Nintendo had issued a DMCA against Dolphin’s Steam page, causing the release to be postponed indefinitely. The Dolphin team has been notified by Valve that the emulator has been removed from Steam until the matter is settled.
The Dolphin team’s response
The Dolphin team has expressed their disappointment in the indefinite postponement and is currently investigating their options. They have also assured their followers that they will have a more in-depth response in the near future. In the meantime, they appreciate the patience of those waiting for the release.
Potential future release
Despite the DMCA issue, there may still be a chance for Dolphin to be released on Valve’s service in some way or form in the future. Other emulators, such as RetroArch, already exist on Steam, so there may be a possibility for Dolphin to be released under different circumstances. However, until the matter with Nintendo is settled, the release of Dolphin on Steam remains uncertain.
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