Following the receipt from Nintendo of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notification, Valve removed Dolphin from Steam. Dolphin’s creators announced their intention to release the free app on Valve’s marketplace later this year in late March.
Dolphin is an open-source emulator that can run most GameCube and Wii games. Nintendo’s legal department requested Valve remove Dolphin from Steam in a legal notice dated May 26 that PC Gamer was able to view. The business claims the emulator infringes on its intellectual property rights.
According to the letter, “Because the Dolphin emulator violates Nintendo’s intellectual property rights, including but not limited to its rights under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)’s Anti-Circumvention and AntiTrafficking provisions, 17 U.S.C. § 1201, we provide this notice to you of your obligation to remove the offering of the Dolphin emulator from the Steam store.”
The Dolphin team now has two alternatives after receiving the notice. It has two options: it can choose to abide by the takedown notice or file a counterclaim with Valve, alleging that the emulator doesn’t break the DMCA as alleged by Nintendo.
Dolphin Emulator Steam release Indefinitely Postponed due to Nintendo DMCA https://t.co/TTvsGQLpR7 pic.twitter.com/SxqQzR9aTv
— GoNintendoTweet (@GoNintendoTweet) May 27, 2023
After receiving a counter-notice, the team has two weeks to determine whether to file a lawsuit. As per points out, whether the business plans to sue Dolphin is unclear. However, a case going to court might significantly impact emulators.
The Dolphin team has stated that it is now determining its action. The Dolphin Emulation Project announced on Friday, “It is with much disappointment that we have to announce that the Dolphin on Steam release has been indefinitely postponed.”
Check some trending articles here:
- Assassin Creed Mirage Release Date and Gameplay Revealed
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Release Date – Embrace the Rise of Hornet
“We were notified by Valve that Nintendo has issued a cease and desist citing the DMCA against Dolphin’s Steam page and have removed Dolphin from Steam until the matter is settled. We are currently investigating our options and will have a more in-depth response in the near future.”
As this piece was written, the Dolphin emulator is still available for download from the project’s website and GitHub page. The Dolphin crew did not get a removal request directly from Nintendo.