Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsNintendo’s legal team asked Valve to remove Dolphin Emulator’s Steam “Coming Soon” listing and prevent its release, citing the DMCA. But the Dolphin team later clarified that Nintendo did not send Valve a formal DMCA takedown notice under Section 512(c): Valve contacted Nintendo first, received the request, and told Dolphin it would need to resolve the dispute. Dolphin abandoned its Steam release effort, but the emulator remains available from its official site.
What happened to Dolphin on Steam?
Dolphin is an emulator for Nintendo GameCube and Wii software. In 2023, its developers announced plans to release it on Steam. Nintendo objected, and the planned release never happened.
On May 26, 2023, Nintendo of America’s counsel sent Valve a letter alleging that Dolphin violated Nintendo’s intellectual property rights, including anti-circumvention and anti-trafficking provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The letter asked Valve to remove Dolphin’s Steam “Coming Soon” notice and ensure the software was not released there. The listing was not a distributed Steam application; it was a page announcing a planned release. Read Nintendo’s letter to Valve.
The next day, Dolphin announced that “the Dolphin on Steam release has been indefinitely postponed,” saying it had been notified by Valve that Nintendo had issued a cease-and-desist citing the DMCA. That was the team’s initial public description; its later clarification described a more specific sequence.
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#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
Did Nintendo send Valve a DMCA takedown notice?
Not a formal DMCA notice under Section 512(c), according to Dolphin’s July 20, 2023 clarification. The developers said Valve had contacted Nintendo proactively after learning of the Steam plan. Nintendo’s counsel then asked Valve to block the release, and Valve told Dolphin that it would need to reach an agreement with Nintendo. Dolphin said it was abandoning its Steam effort. Dolphin’s clarification.
The distinction is procedural: Nintendo’s lawyer did make a written request that Valve remove the Coming Soon page and prevent the release, citing DMCA provisions. But that request was not, in Dolphin’s account, a formal Section 512(c) takedown notice. The Steam page was a planned-release listing, not an already distributed application removed through a standard copyright takedown process.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
What each party argued
Nintendo: Dolphin circumvents protection measures
Nintendo’s letter alleged that Dolphin uses cryptographic keys to decrypt Wii and GameCube game files, violating the DMCA’s anti-circumvention and anti-trafficking rules in 17 U.S.C. § 1201. A Nintendo spokesperson separately said: “This emulator illegally circumvents Nintendo’s protection measures and runs illegal copies of games.” These are Nintendo’s allegations and characterization, not findings by a court. The Verge’s June 3, 2023 report.
Dolphin: US law has an interoperability exception
The Dolphin developers argued that the US DMCA’s interoperability exception, 17 U.S.C. § 1201(f), supported their work decrypting Wii discs to make software interoperable. That is the team’s legal position, not a ruling that the exception applies to Dolphin. Its explanation was specifically about US law; it should not be read as a statement about the law in every country. Dolphin’s explanation of its position.
Rank #3
- Operating System: SteamOS 3.0
Valve: it would not decide the legal dispute
Valve said it contacted Nintendo after Dolphin announced its plan. Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle explained: “Given Nintendo’s history of taking action against some emulators, we brought this to their attention proactively after the Dolphin team announced it was coming soon to Steam.” Valve said it was not positioned to judge the dispute and would not ship an application it understood could be taken down; the parties would need to resolve the matter or go to court. Valve’s comments as reported June 3, 2023.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you still download Dolphin?
Yes. The Steam release was abandoned, but Dolphin continues to distribute builds for Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux through its official download page. The release number shown there changes over time, so check the page for the current version. The developers’ July 2023 statement says they abandoned the Steam effort; it does not say Dolphin itself was discontinued.
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Was the dispute decided in court?
The cited statements and letter establish the parties’ opposing positions and the decision not to release Dolphin on Steam. They do not establish a court ruling resolving whether Dolphin’s operation violated the DMCA or whether its interoperability defense applies. The legal claims should therefore be described as disputed positions, not settled findings.
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