Gamers looking for a way to play classic Nintendo games may have a new option soon, as Dolphin, a popular emulator that runs most GameCube and Wii titles, will be launching on Steam later this year. While the emulator is already available for free, launching on Steam could make using it more straightforward on devices like the Steam Deck, where manually installing programs can be cumbersome.
However, the Dolphin store page is quick to point out that the “app does not come with games. You must own an original copy of any game you want to use with Dolphin.” Emulating console games is a legal gray area, which is why the emulator’s website explicitly states that “downloading commercial games is illegal” and encourages users to use homebrew tools to make backups of game discs they legally own.
Dolphin is expected to launch on Steam Early Access by the end of Q2 2023, with a full launch planned by the end of the year. It’s worth noting that Nintendo has been cracking down on emulators and ROM sites in recent years, making it harder to play its older games on official hardware. Regardless, Dolphin on Steam is likely to appeal to fans of classic Nintendo titles who may not have access to the original hardware or want to use emulation to play the games.
