The Dolphin Emulator, a software that allows users to play old Wii and GameCube games on PC, will not be coming to the Steam platform after all. The developers recently published a blog post detailing the events that led to the cancellation, shedding light on the legal issues surrounding the potential release.
Contrary to online perceptions, the cancellation was not a result of a DMCA takedown notice or legal action from Nintendo. Instead, the problem arose when Valve, the company behind Steam, contacted Nintendo’s legal team to inquire about the planned release of the emulator on their platform. Dolphin Emulator had intended to offer access to classic Nintendo titles like Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask through Steam.
In response, Nintendo’s lawyers issued a statement to Valve, requesting that the emulator’s “coming soon” notice be removed and that the emulator should not be released on Steam without Nintendo’s approval. Rather than intervening, Valve chose not to take a stand in a potential confrontation with Nintendo, one of the gaming industry’s behemoths. Instead, Valve placed the responsibility on Dolphin’s developers to obtain Nintendo’s approval before proceeding with the Steam release.
Knowing that Nintendo has historically taken swift legal action against emulation-related projects, the Dolphin team understood that obtaining permission was highly unlikely. Given the legal reality and the wording of Nintendo’s letter to Valve, the developers made the decision to cancel the Steam release to avoid potential complications.
While the Dolphin Emulator remains available as a separate download for Windows, macOS, and Linux from the project’s official website, having it on Steam could have provided the software with increased legitimacy and exposed it to a wider audience.
The Dolphin team acknowledged that Valve has the authority to set conditions for software to appear on their platform. However, due to Nintendo’s firm stance on emulation, the requirement to obtain Nintendo’s approval for a Steam release was deemed unattainable, leading to the unfortunate cancellation.
As a result, fans of the Dolphin Emulator will need to continue accessing the software through the project’s official website, where it remains a popular choice for playing classic Wii and GameCube games on PC. Despite the setback, the emulator’s dedicated community will likely continue to support and utilize this powerful tool for nostalgic gaming experiences.
