Introduction
The Dolphin emulator, a long-running open-source project that enables GameCube and Wii software to run on PC, saw its planned Steam release put on hold in late May 2023 after Nintendo issued a legal notice to Valve.
The dispute centers on Nintendo's claim that Dolphin circumvents console protections and therefore violates anti-circumvention provisions of U.S. law.
Valve informed the Dolphin developers of the notice and the Steam storefront listing was postponed indefinitely.
What happened and timeline
- May 26, 2023: A Steam storefront page for Dolphin appeared, drawing attention across social media and industry outlets.
The developer team paused the release after receiving notice from Valve.
A tweet highlighting the postponement circulated from notable leakers and accounts.
- May 30, 2023: PC Gamer obtained a copy of the legal notice Nintendo sent to Valve.
The notice cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act anti-circumvention provisions, specifically 17 U.S.C. § 1201, and requested removal of the Dolphin offering from Steam.
Legal basis reported
According to the legal notice obtained by PC Gamer, Nintendo's position is that Dolphin violates its intellectual property rights by using Wii common keys to decrypt ROMs at or immediately before runtime.
PC Gamer, after reviewing the notice with legal counsel, observed that the communication functions as a warning that a formal takedown could follow rather than a direct assertion of copyright infringement already carried out by Valve.
Nintendo statement rewritten for clarity
A Nintendo representative told Kotaku that the company is focused on protecting the work of game developers and engineers.
The representative said Nintendo views the Dolphin emulator as a tool that circumvents the companys protection measures and enables running unauthorized copies of games, and that such activity harms game development and innovation.
Nintendo also said it expects others to respect intellectual property rights just as it respects the rights of other companies.
Current status and context
The Dolphin project remains widely used on PC outside of official storefront channels, and discussions about emulation legality distinguish between emulation software and the unauthorized distribution or use of game ROMs.
Valve has notified the Dolphin developers and the listing remains on hold while the parties consider next steps.
Industry observers and outlets will continue to report verified developments as they occur.
Reporting note
This article is based on verified reporting from PC Gamer and coverage citing a Nintendo representative to Kotaku, as well as the public timing of the Steam listing and subsequent developer notification by Valve.
The Dolphin emulator, a long-running open-source project that enables GameCube and Wii software to run on PC, saw its planned Steam release put on hold in late May 2023 after Nintendo issued a legal notice to Valve.
The dispute centers on Nintendo's claim that Dolphin circumvents console protections and therefore violates anti-circumvention provisions of U.S. law.
Valve informed the Dolphin developers of the notice and the Steam storefront listing was postponed indefinitely.
What happened and timeline
- May 26, 2023: A Steam storefront page for Dolphin appeared, drawing attention across social media and industry outlets.
The developer team paused the release after receiving notice from Valve.
A tweet highlighting the postponement circulated from notable leakers and accounts.
- May 30, 2023: PC Gamer obtained a copy of the legal notice Nintendo sent to Valve.
The notice cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act anti-circumvention provisions, specifically 17 U.S.C. § 1201, and requested removal of the Dolphin offering from Steam.
Legal basis reported
According to the legal notice obtained by PC Gamer, Nintendo's position is that Dolphin violates its intellectual property rights by using Wii common keys to decrypt ROMs at or immediately before runtime.
PC Gamer, after reviewing the notice with legal counsel, observed that the communication functions as a warning that a formal takedown could follow rather than a direct assertion of copyright infringement already carried out by Valve.
Nintendo statement rewritten for clarity
A Nintendo representative told Kotaku that the company is focused on protecting the work of game developers and engineers.
The representative said Nintendo views the Dolphin emulator as a tool that circumvents the companys protection measures and enables running unauthorized copies of games, and that such activity harms game development and innovation.
Nintendo also said it expects others to respect intellectual property rights just as it respects the rights of other companies.
Current status and context
The Dolphin project remains widely used on PC outside of official storefront channels, and discussions about emulation legality distinguish between emulation software and the unauthorized distribution or use of game ROMs.
Valve has notified the Dolphin developers and the listing remains on hold while the parties consider next steps.
Industry observers and outlets will continue to report verified developments as they occur.
Reporting note
This article is based on verified reporting from PC Gamer and coverage citing a Nintendo representative to Kotaku, as well as the public timing of the Steam listing and subsequent developer notification by Valve.
