BLOG{{utilities.timo('Sun, 28 Apr 2024 08:59:46 GMT')}}

Dolphin Emulator: Nintendo Takes on Copyright Infringement

Nintendo has issued a DMCA takedown notice to Valve regarding the Dolphin emulator, which allows users to play GameCube and Wii games. Dolphin has been in development for almost 20 years and had plans to release the emulator on Steam. However, Dolphin's developers have announced that the Steam release is now "indefinitely postponed."

The takedown notice claims that Dolphin violates Nintendo's intellectual property rights under the DMCA's Anti-Circumvention and Anti-Trafficking provisions. According to DMCA regulations, platforms like Steam must remove content upon receiving a takedown request. Dolphin's Steam page has been taken down and redirects to the Steam store homepage.

In a statement on the Dolphin website, the developers express disappointment and reveal that Valve informed them of Nintendo's cease and desist notice citing the DMCA. Dolphin has been removed from Steam while the matter is being resolved, and the developers are currently exploring their options and will provide a more detailed response soon.

Emulation exists in a legal gray area, and the outcome of a potential lawsuit against Dolphin is uncertain. However, such a lawsuit could set a precedent with wide-ranging consequences for emulation as a whole.

Despite the setback on Steam, Dolphin can still be downloaded from its own website. Other emulation software, like RetroArch, remains available on Steam. The interest in accessing emulation software through Steam has grown, especially due to the popularity of Valve's PC handheld, the Steam Deck. Last year, Valve quickly replaced a Steam Deck trailer that featured a Nintendo Switch emulator in a user's Steam library.

The clash between Nintendo and Dolphin highlights the ongoing debate surrounding emulation and copyright, and it raises important questions about the future of emulation in the gaming community. Further updates on this matter are expected as the situation unfolds.