The planned Steam release of the Dolphin Emulator, a software which facilitates playing of classic Wii and GameCube games, has been cancelled. In a blog post released today, the developers detailed the issues encountered during the proposed launch, while maintaining their belief that they hadn’t violated any legal boundaries. The problem, in essence, was that Nintendo’s legal team objected to the presence of the emulator on Steam, a platform owned by the gaming giant, Valve.
The makers of the emulator further clarified that, contrary to widespread belief, they hadn’t received a DMCA takedown notice or any legal threat from Nintendo. However, Valve’s legal team had initiated a dialogue with Nintendo regarding the planned release of the emulator on their platform, which would have allowed users to play vintage games such as Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Following this discussion, Valve passed on a message from Nintendo’s lawyers to the Dolphin team, specifying that they could only proceed with the launch if Nintendo approved. The statement from Nintendo insisted on the removal of Dolphin’s ‘coming soon’ notice and asked that the emulator should not be released on Steam.
Apparently, Valve chose not to intercede and instead placed the responsibility on Dolphin’s developers to secure the needed approval, which seemed unlikely given the circumstances. Given Nintendo’s past history of stringent legal action, and the tone of their letter, the development team decided to halt the Steam release. Nevertheless, the Dolphin Emulator continues to be available for download on Windows, macOS and Linux from the project’s own website. The potential benefits of a Steam release could have included enhanced credibility and accessibility to a broader user base.
The Dolphin team expressed their stance today by saying, “Valve has the ultimate authority to set the conditions for software to be featured on their platform. However, given Nintendo’s well-known opposition to emulation, we see Valve’s requirement for Nintendo’s approval for a Steam release as an unattainable task. Unfortunately, we have to leave it at that.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Dolphin Emulator Steam Release
Why isn’t the Dolphin Emulator coming to Steam?
The Dolphin Emulator isn’t coming to Steam because of objections from Nintendo’s legal team. Valve, the owner of Steam, passed on a message from Nintendo’s lawyers to the Dolphin team, stating that they could only proceed with the launch if Nintendo approved.
What kind of objections did Nintendo have regarding the Dolphin Emulator’s release on Steam?
Nintendo’s lawyers specifically requested that Dolphin’s ‘coming soon’ notice be removed and ensured that the emulator does not release on the Steam store moving forward.
Did Nintendo send a DMCA takedown notice to the Dolphin team?
No, Nintendo did not send a DMCA takedown notice or any other legal action to the Dolphin team.
Will the Dolphin Emulator still be available despite not coming to Steam?
Yes, the Dolphin Emulator is still available for download on its own website for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
What would have been the benefits of the Dolphin Emulator’s release on Steam?
Having the Dolphin Emulator on Steam could have boosted its perceived legitimacy and opened it up to a much wider audience.
More about Dolphin Emulator Steam Release
- Dolphin Emulator Official Website
- Steam Official Website
- Nintendo’s Official Website
- Information on DMCA takedown notices
- News about the cancelled Steam release Note: This would ideally link to a news article about the cancellation, but as this is a fictional scenario, no actual link can be provided.
