Wii and GameCube emulator Dolphin is coming to Steam

Dolphin, a popular video game emulator for Wii and GameCube games, is currently set to hit Steam Early Access later this year. The emulation software’s Steam store page went live today. Although the page’s software description can’t directly name Nintendo’s consoles, Dolphin Emulator’s Steam description boasts about how it can play “classics from the big N’s cube-shaped and motion-controlled consoles” in 4K with modern controller support, hacked widescreen and HD texture packs, better frame rates, local multiplayer, save states, slow motion, and turbo button presses. It also reiterates that Dolphin itself doesn’t come with or pirate any Nintendo games, instead positioning itself as a “tool to run legally obtained copies of these games” after someone has converted them into a compatible format. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if that framing is good enough to prevent Nintendo from taking Dolphin Emulator off Steam. When Dolphin Emulator is added to Steam in the second quarter of 2023, it’ll be free, but also in early access. Its volunteer developers are aiming to exit early access by the end of 2023 after adding “better Steam integration and a more streamlined UI for Steam Deck users.” Valve’s Steam Deck handheld has already proven itself to be a haven for video game emulation, and Dolphin Emulator being available on Steam will only make that process even easier. While most GameCube and Wii games aren’t available on Switch, the company has long been against emulation of its titles. As such, we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this to see if Dolphin Emulator makes actually launhes on Steam. Dolphin Emulator will be released on Steam in the second quarter of 2023.  Rise of the Ronin, the samurai-action-RPG from Team Ninja, is coming to Steam on March 10 alongside several marked improvements to performance and graphical fidelity. Initially released in March 2024, Rise of the Ronin has been a console exclusive until now. It’s migration to Steam includes support for 8K resolution, ultra- and super ultrawide monitors, 120 frames per second, ray tracing, and much more. The game is available now for preorder, and doing so will unlock in-game perks. These are the same bonuses offered with a PlayStation 5 pre-order, so don’t worry if you already own the title; you aren’t missing out on new content. The Steam Autumn Sale for 2024 began earlier this week and runs until 10 a.m. PT on December 4. Thousands of great games will be discounted throughout that time, some with particularly big price cuts. It’s a lot to sift through, so those looking for the best deals on games to pick up before December 4 might be struggling to choose what to buy. To help, I’ve rounded up six of the best deals that I’ve spotted during this Steam Autumn Sale. From Helldivers 2 to the shockingly reduced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, these are some games you should consider buying during the latest Steam sale.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2’s base game usually costs $40, while its Super Citizen Edition costs $60. During the Steam Autumn Sale, both have been discounted by 20% to $32 and $48, respectively. While these aren’t the deepest discounts available during this Steam Autumn Sale, Helldivers 2 is one of the defining games of 2024 and a must-play if you enjoy multiplayer titles. Its unique brand of chaotic, violent third-person shooting action is unrivaled, and playing this game with friends will create plenty of shared moments that you all won’t forget anytime soon. If you haven’t jumped on the Helldivers 2 bandwagon yet, this Steam sale is the lowest we’ve seen its price go yet on Steam. As part of a growing trend among publishers, 2K Games has removed its launcher from “every game that used it” on Steam and Epic. 2K announced the change on a support page last month, and the launcher was removed on November 18. An update was pushed out on Monday to ensure it’s gone, so if you want to hop into a 2K game on Steam or Epic, you’ll no longer have to deal with the extra step of going through a launcher.