- Valve is currently facing a $900 million lawsuit over claims of unfair competition restrictions via Steam
- It’s been accused of preventing publishers from launching games on other platforms at cheaper prices
- Claims of ‘unfair pricing’ are already being shut down by gamers
Valve is rumored to be on the verge of announcing prices for its upcoming Steam Machine and Steam Frame, but the company could be facing a potentially bigger concern, based on long-running allegations against its Steam storefront.
As reported by BBC News, Valve is facing a lawsuit of around $900 million (£656 million) in the UK, due to allegations of ‘abusing its dominant position’ by restricting competition.
This is a lawsuit that’s backed by Milberg London LLP, a legal firm in the UK, after the claim was initially made in 2024, led by Vicki Shotbolt, who stated: “Valve is rigging the market and taking advantage of UK gamers.”
The lawsuit claims Valve is stopping publishers and developers from launching games and add-ons on other platforms with better prices than the same products already available on Steam, via ‘Platform Parity Obligations’, ultimately leading to a lack of competition.
It also suggests that Valve is effectively locking users into only making in-game purchases on Steam, as DLC purchased from the initial game can’t be used on other platforms. However, as most PC gamers (and even console gamers) may know, almost no other platform, publisher, or game developer ever allows cross-platform DLC on PC, though sometimes they allow cross progression (so you can pick up where you left off if you buy the game from multiple stores).
There’s also little reason for consumers to buy DLC on another platform for their owned Steam copies, as Valve is quite generous with discounts, unlike other platforms, and users can find DLC options on markets like Loaded (formerly known as CDKeys).
Perhaps the most perplexing claim of all is the one that states Valve is essentially ripping gamers off by “imposing excessive commission charges which amount to an unfair price which is then passed on to consumers”.
It’s a claim that most gamers may likely deny, since Valve is very much known for its generosity with price drops and its consumer-friendly nature.
Steam is one of the only storefronts that has a flexible refund policy, allowing players up to two hours of playtime to decide whether a product is no longer wanted – and I’ve personally received refunds in cases of play time over two hours.
While we can only speculate whether these claims are legitimate, it’s hard to reason with the claim of unfair pricing that’s passed on to consumers, and users have already come to Valve’s defence on Reddit.
Analysis: Valve is being unfairly targeted
Valve’s Steam storefront is widely preferred for PC gaming, often seen as the better choice over other platforms like Epic Games, Battle.net, GOG, or the Ubisoft store. That’s exactly why this lawsuit feels like it’s unwarranted, particularly when the allegations don’t sound plausible.
The likes of Sony and Nintendo have their console storefronts locked down, with only occasional discounts on their games. This is mostly evident with Microsoft’s Blizzard and its Battle.net launcher, with its Call of Duty games still at full price years after their launches.
These are genuine issues for consumers, as these games can’t be purchased via cheaper alternatives, locking users into paying high prices unless there’s a sale – unlike Steam, where standard game prices for older titles usually fall.
The claims that Valve is ‘restricting competition’ fall flat when you realize the same thing can be said about platforms (from the likes of Sony and Epic) that make third-party games timed exclusives, which, by the same metric, ‘lock’ players into purchasing and playing on that specific platform.
I’ve always felt that Valve has pushed for a ‘consumer first’ approach via its CEO, Gabe Newell, and long may that continue.
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