Tuesday, March 28th 2023
GameCube and Wii Dolphin Emulator set to Launch on Steam Later This Year
We are pleased to announce our great experiment - Dolphin is coming to Steam! Our store page is now live, and you can visit it with the handy widget below. However, due to how Steam works, you won't be able to download the emulator through Steam just yet. Feel free to wishlist us to be notified when Dolphin is available to download on Steam! Dolphin is an emulator for the big N's 6th and 7th generation consoles, featuring enhancements such as increased resolution, save states, and netplay.
When we launch on Steam, we'll have a feature article detailing the process and features of the Steam release. We're pleased to finally tell the world of our experiment. This has been the product of many months of work, and we look forward to getting it into users' hands soon! You can continue the discussion in the forum thread of this article.
Welcome to the World of Modern Emulation
Dolphin Emulator is your one-way ticket to nostalgia if you're looking to relive classics from the big N's cube-shaped and motion controlled consoles. Return to an era of gaming before the advent of microtransactions and experience a diverse library of thousands of titles that were released for these consoles over a span of 15+ years. Dolphin Emulator allows these classic games to be reborn into the modern era with support for 4K displays, modern controllers, and much, much more. All of this, fully Open Source and free to download.
How Does It Work?
Dolphin Emulator creates a virtual environment on your device that is capable of running games originally developed for two of the Big N's revolutionary consoles. However, Dolphin itself does not provide any of the games. It is just a tool to run legally obtained copies of these games. Once you have dumped copies of your games into a compatible format, you can launch them directly in the emulator.
Why Emulate?
Using emulation to play your games comes with many advantages. Dolphin can surpass the capabilities of the original hardware with enhancements like increased resolution, widescreen hacks, HD texture packs, and patches to increase the frame rate. While playing a game, features like quick saves (save states), slow motion, and turbo can make playing through annoying sections a breeze. You can even take your favorite local multiplayer games online with Dolphin's built-in netplay. Once you're bored of a game, you can breathe new life into it by playing community-made mods like randomizers and custom level packs.
What is Dolphin?
This app does not come with games. You must own an original copy of any game you want to use with Dolphin.
What is Dolphin?
Dolphin is a GameCube and Wii emulator with high compatibility across the majority of titles for both platforms. It was first developed as closed source in 2003, and as open source since 2008.
What is Dolphin's License?
When Dolphin went open-source in 2008, it was released under the GPLv2 license. However it has since been re-licensed to GPLv2+. According to the license, you may use Dolphin and its source code for any purpose, but distributing Dolphin requires that the source code be released and attribution given.
Who Made Dolphin?
Over 200 people have worked hard over the years to create Dolphin. The list of contributors can be found on GitHub.
Dolphin is not affiliated with Nintendo in any way.
Sources:
dolphin-emu.org, Dolphin Emulator Steam Page
When we launch on Steam, we'll have a feature article detailing the process and features of the Steam release. We're pleased to finally tell the world of our experiment. This has been the product of many months of work, and we look forward to getting it into users' hands soon! You can continue the discussion in the forum thread of this article.
Dolphin Emulator is your one-way ticket to nostalgia if you're looking to relive classics from the big N's cube-shaped and motion controlled consoles. Return to an era of gaming before the advent of microtransactions and experience a diverse library of thousands of titles that were released for these consoles over a span of 15+ years. Dolphin Emulator allows these classic games to be reborn into the modern era with support for 4K displays, modern controllers, and much, much more. All of this, fully Open Source and free to download.
How Does It Work?
Dolphin Emulator creates a virtual environment on your device that is capable of running games originally developed for two of the Big N's revolutionary consoles. However, Dolphin itself does not provide any of the games. It is just a tool to run legally obtained copies of these games. Once you have dumped copies of your games into a compatible format, you can launch them directly in the emulator.
Why Emulate?
Using emulation to play your games comes with many advantages. Dolphin can surpass the capabilities of the original hardware with enhancements like increased resolution, widescreen hacks, HD texture packs, and patches to increase the frame rate. While playing a game, features like quick saves (save states), slow motion, and turbo can make playing through annoying sections a breeze. You can even take your favorite local multiplayer games online with Dolphin's built-in netplay. Once you're bored of a game, you can breathe new life into it by playing community-made mods like randomizers and custom level packs.
What is Dolphin?
This app does not come with games. You must own an original copy of any game you want to use with Dolphin.
Dolphin is a GameCube and Wii emulator with high compatibility across the majority of titles for both platforms. It was first developed as closed source in 2003, and as open source since 2008.
What is Dolphin's License?
When Dolphin went open-source in 2008, it was released under the GPLv2 license. However it has since been re-licensed to GPLv2+. According to the license, you may use Dolphin and its source code for any purpose, but distributing Dolphin requires that the source code be released and attribution given.
Who Made Dolphin?
Over 200 people have worked hard over the years to create Dolphin. The list of contributors can be found on GitHub.
Dolphin is not affiliated with Nintendo in any way.
31 Comments on GameCube and Wii Dolphin Emulator set to Launch on Steam Later This Year
Seems like they're bringing it to steam for one purpose only: More users to use the app.
hum ... i don't think Nintendo will sue anyone ... since as long as you own a game ... ripping the ROM to use with an emulator is technically legal ... and i can't really remember seeing a precedent where an old gen console emu got shot down, SneS9x ZSNES DsMuME and co still exist (lucky for me )
i don't see Sony suing over ePSXe, PPSSPP, PCSX2/AetherSX2 or RPCS3, since they still exist, are updated and are on Google play for some (and i use a lot of them given that i have a bunch of original games for PSP, PS, PS2 i own, i think i also need to give Xenia a go ... i have a few X360 exclusives around :laugh: )
most FAQ have that answer:
"Emulators are 100% legal, as is the process of downloading them. They are no different to other programs you might download such as word processing or music player software. Downloading and uploading ROMs is illegal, however, so make sure you use your own game files."
to me, as long as it's not a last/next gen console and you have bought the games you want to play : totally okay
it's a neat addition for a STEAMDECK imho.
And if Nintendo is not stupid, they're going to put ROMs for legal purchase on Steam as well! I would buy several of my favorite games without complaint.
Unfortunately that is going to be a little of a problem, a lot of companies that developed older games are now defunct or no longer exist, and have no legal heir either, leaving them in a state of limbo where it would probably constitute copyright infringement to distribute them, but there would be no one to collect said rights any longer to begin with. I don't think these automatically go to the public domain, though.
for Dolphin: "Nope! Dolphin does not need a BIOS file to run."
and if the BIOS is recreated from scratch, no problems (nonetheless, most people who legally bought games for such consoles did buy/own such consoles at one time )yep. it is sad ... (i do own several cartridge and CDs of such games )
also ... i have bought Holy Diver and R-Type collection from Retro Bit (collector for Holy Diver and, iirc, standard for R-Type ) which are in standard NES and SNES cartridge thus using the same USB reader i used to dump all my old NES/SNES games ... i could legally use them for emulations for example, and Retrobit and other do have some neat oldies in catalogue, also my PS classic has also some ROMs in it which i could extract, tho i prefer modding my PS classic to run custom and add my PS library to it, tho i usually prefer having RetroArch on my Retroflag GPI case which host a RPi Zero W, in gameboy formfactor with 2 extra front button and 2 back trigger, which can emulate old consoles up to a PS without major slow down (and i would love to replace that one with a Rpi Zero 2 should it be compatible and furthermore ... in stock again :cry: )
Those with a Steam Deck interested in emulation like I am will be using Emudeck. It has more emulators and is a whole lot easier. www.emudeck.com/