Whether you use Steam or not, anyone who’s a gamer knows it’s the biggest digital platform for PC. Valve’s storefront has been a staple in the modern gaming world for two decades, but with that power, there comes a decent amount of backlash. This time it’s from the UK.
According to a recent report from the BBC, Steam is being sued, with accusations that the Valve Corporation is “using its market dominance to overcharge 14 million people in the UK.” The company is also being accused of “rigging the market,” which in turn is taking advantage of gamers.
The antitrust lawsuit is being filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, and was initiated by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt. The claim is also being backed by the Milberg London LLP law firm, with the report going on to say that Steam/Valve is being sued to the tune of £656m (around $839m, according to XE.com).
We’ve been here before
As noted by the BBC report, Shotbolt has been accusing the company of “breaking UK competition law for at least six years.” Indeed, this is not the first time the issue has come to the fore.
The fact that Steam takes a 30% commission has been a point of contention in the past. In 2022, a US judge ruled that Valve should face antitrust litigation for how it operates in the world of PC gaming. As well as the high commission, the company was also accused of “imposing its own conditions on how even ‘non-Steam-enabled games are sold and priced’.”
This is just one of a number of complaints and cases that have been filed against the platform. While Steam is many people’s go-to digital storefront, it’s worth remembering that it’s also a massive corporation that’s not above the law.
