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The Dolphin emulator for Wii and GameCube was scheduled to arrive on Steam. However, the development plans were slowed down after the team received a notice from Valve, citing a potential DMCA from Nintendo.
The developer has now provided an update on the situation, elaborating on its current stance with Nintendo and Valve. According to a new blog, the Dolphin emulator’s Steam release has been canceled.
Why it matters: Emulation is popular in the PC gaming industry, but Nintendo has proven to be against it. The company has also been strict about the usage of its IPs and games.
The update clarifies that Nintendo did not issue a DMCA notice.
However, Valve approached Nintendo to ensure that the emulator’s release would not lead to any problems. The gaming giant is likely aware of Nintendo’s strict policy and wants to avoid any potential issues due to Nintendo’s stance on emulation.
Nintendo advised Valve to prevent the release and used the DMCA as a justification. While a notice had not been issued, the Dolphin team decided to delay the release indefinitely to think about the situation.
Nearly two months later, the team has scrapped plans for the release. The blog states:
“Valve runs the store and can set any condition they wish for software to appear on it.”
However, the developers do not believe Nintendo would be willing to approve the emulator’s presence on Steam.
Previously, the emulator’s inclusion of the Wii common key became controversial, with concerns about piracy. However, the emulation team has consulted lawyers, and they no longer plan to remove the keys.
Nonetheless, the cancellation may be disappointing for emulation enthusiasts. The emulator’s Steam release would have helped it gain more popularity, allowing wider access to GameCube and Wii games on PC.
On the bright side, Dolphin will continue to be available everywhere else. This move will also not impact the emulator’s future development.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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