Dolphin Emulator Steam Release Delayed After Nintendo Issues DMCA

Nintendo Does Not Mess Around!

Update: Nintendo has finally explained the reason for blocking the Dolphin’s release on Steam. Nintendo said that it stifles innovation. Nintendo’s claim is that the use of the Wii Common Key in the emulator implies that it is actively bypassing piracy protection measures. 

Nintendo further said that it respects the intellectual property rights of other companies, so others should do the same, as it is committed to protecting the hard work and creativity of game engineers and developers.

Original Story: Emulation is not a new concept in the gaming industry. Various emulators like PCSX2 and more have allowed gamers to continue enjoying their favorite games long after official support for older platforms has ended.

Today, emulators can be found for nearly every classic console, helping game preservation even when companies do not include backward compatibility with their newer consoles. However, gaming companies are often not too fond of emulators.

Dolphin is a popular emulator for the Nintendo Wii and GameCube consoles. It is already available on various platforms, and Dolphin was supposed to come to Steam in Q2 2023, but it has now been delayed.

Why it matters: Nintendo has a history of being harsh with emulation, as it can be illegal on certain occasions. 

GameCube Nintendo Emulator DMCA

Nintendo has issued a DMCA notice to Valve that has indefinitely postponed the release of Doplhin Emulator on Steam.

The Dolphin emulator page had already been launched on Steam, but the page has now been removed. This was confirmed by the development team in the latest blog post, with Nintendo having issued a cease and desist order.

The development team still has the opportunity to file a counter-notice. This would give Nintendo two weeks to sue, but the Dolphin emulator will likely return to Steam if the company chooses not to sue.

Nonetheless, the development team finds themselves in a difficult situation. Nintendo’s DMCA notice states:

“The Dolphin emulator operates by incorporating these cryptographic keys without Nintendo’s authorization and decrypting the ROMs at or immediately before runtime.”

For fans of the Dolphin emulator, there is still some good news. This DMCA notice only affects the Steam launch, and the development is unaffected elsewhere.

Nintendo has also not directly approached the team, and there has not yet been a takedown notice on other platforms. However, the Dolphin team is highly disappointed to delay the Steam release.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Obaid Ur Rehman
Obaid Ur Rehman
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.

Latest News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Follow Us

83,972FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

AMD FSR 3 Frame Generation Now Available In Forspoken

FSR 3 Frame Generation support is now available for Forspoken. It can be used with recent AMD, Nvidia, and Intel cards.

Newegg Introduces New Trade-In Program For Old Graphics Cards

Newegg has introduced a new trade-in program to help PC gamers buy new graphics cards after selling their older graphics cards.

Nintendo Switch Planned To Be Supported Till March 2025

Amid rumors of the next console, Nintendo confirms it has plans to support the Nintendo Switch for the next fiscal year.

Fable Creator Believes Modern Games Don’t Take Enough Risks

The creator of Fable has shared his opinion on modern games, and Peter Molyneux believes modern games play it safe without taking risks.

Naughty Dog Hit With Layoffs Amid Last of Us Multiplayer Troubles

Naughty Dog has let go of several contract developers as The Last of Us Multiplayer continues to struggle with its identity.