Valve Sued for millions over Steam's alleged market abuse

Valve faces a £656 million lawsuit for allegedly overcharging 14 million UK gamers and stifling competition on Steam.

Valve Corporation, owner of the largest digital distribution platform for PC games, Steam, is being sued for £656 million. 

According to the BBC, the lawsuit, filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, accuses Valve of using its market dominance to overcharge 14 million UK gamers. Digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt, who is leading the case, alleges that "Valve is rigging the market and taking advantage of UK gamers."

The claim asserts that Valve has been "shutting out" competition in the PC gaming market by forcing game publishers to adhere to price parity obligations, preventing them from offering cheaper prices on rival platforms. This practice allegedly allows Steam to charge an "excessive commission of up to 30%," resulting in higher costs for UK consumers, BBC reports.

Shotbolt accuses Valve of breaching UK competition law for at least six years and aims to stop this conduct and help consumers recover their losses. The case is supported by legal firm Milberg London LLP, with partner Natasha Pearman emphasizing the importance of competition law in protecting consumers and holding large companies accountable.

This lawsuit is part of a growing trend of collective action legal cases against major tech companies, including Facebook, Google, and Sony, at the Competition Appeal Tribunal.