- Valve is currently facing a $900 million lawsuit over claims of unfair competition restrictions via Steam
- It has been accused of preventing publishers from launching games on other platforms at cheaper prices
- Claims of ‘unfair pricing’ have already been shut down by players
Valve is rumored to be on the verge of announcing pricing 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 worth around $900m (£656m) in the UK, over allegations of ‘abuse of its dominant position’ by restricting competition.
This is a lawsuit backed by Milberg London LLP, a law firm in the UK, after the claim was originally made in 2024, led by Vicki Shotbolt, who stated: “Valve is rigging the market and taking advantage of UK players.”
The lawsuit alleges that Valve stops publishers and developers from launching games and add-ons on other platforms at 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 original game cannot be used on other platforms. But as most PC gamers (and even console gamers) might know, almost no other platform, publisher, or game developer ever allows cross-platform DLC on PC, although they sometimes allow cross-progression (so you can pick up where you left off if you buy the game from multiple stores).
There is also little reason for consumers to purchase DLC on another platform for their own Steam copies, as Valve is quite generous with discounts, unlike other platforms, and users can find DLC options on marketplaces such as Loaded (formerly known as CDKeys).
Perhaps the most confusing claim of all is the one that says Valve is essentially cheating gamers by “imposing exorbitant commission fees that equate to an unfair price, which is then passed on to consumers”.
It’s a claim that most gamers are likely to reject, as Valve is widely 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, giving players up to two hours of play time to decide if 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 being passed on to consumers, and users have already come to Valve’s defense 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 such as Epic Games, Battle.net, GOG or the Ubisoft store. This is exactly why this lawsuit feels unjustified, especially when the allegations don’t sound plausible.
The likes of Sony and Nintendo have their console stores 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 launch.
These are real problems for consumers, as these games cannot be purchased via cheaper alternatives, locking users into paying high prices unless there is a sale – unlike Steam, where standard game prices for older titles usually drop.
Claims that Valve is ‘restricting competition’ fall apart when you realize that the same can be said of platforms (from the likes of Sony and Epic) making third-party games timed exclusives, which by the same metric ‘locks’ players into buying 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.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
The best gaming laptops for all budgets
