Millions of gamers could get compensation if the lawsuit - which accuses Valve of charging inflated prices - succeeds.

Valve Corporation will face a £656m lawsuit in the UK over alleged unfair prices on its global online store, Steam, following a tribunal ruling that the case could continue.

The gaming giant is being accused of abusing its market dominance by imposing restrictive terms on game publishers and locking players into using Steam, the world’s largest distribution platform for PC gaming.

The legal action was brought by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt in 2024 on behalf of up to 14 million Steam users across the UK, who could be in line for compensation if she wins.

  • cRazi_man@europe.pubEnglish
    152·
    5 days ago

    "Valve “forces” game publishers to sign up to conditions which prevents them from selling their titles earlier or for less on rival platforms.

    It claims that as Valve requires users to buy all additional content through Steam, if they’ve bought the initial game through the platform it is essentially “locking in” users to continue making purchases there.

    This, Ms Shotbolt argues, has enabled Steam to charge an “excessive commission of up to 30%”, making UK consumers pay too much for purchasing PC games and add-on content."

    • samus12345@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      8·
      5 days ago

      It claims that as Valve requires users to buy all additional content through Steam, if they’ve bought the initial game through the platform it is essentially “locking in” users to continue making purchases there.

      Better sue MS, Sony, and Nintendo as well, then.

    • mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      7·
      5 days ago

      "Valve “forces” game publishers to sign up to conditions which prevents them from selling their titles earlier or for less on rival platforms.

      Complete horseshit. If they were preventing publishers from releasing earlier on other platforms, then how did all those timed exclusives on EGS exist.

      And the bit about price parity only applies to Steam keys, aka, support and distribution is still being handled by Steam. Keys for GOG or EGS don’t apply