Valve Faces Lawsuit Over 'Unfair Prices', What it Means For You
Valve is set to face a £656 million lawsuit in the near future, as they’re being taken to court for allegedly abusing their “dominant position in the PC gaming market.”
This “opt-out” lawsuit is being headed by Vicki Shotbolt, and legal costs are being funded Bench Walk Guernsey PCC Limited. Shotbolt claims that Valve has been engaging in anti-consumer practices that restrict games from being sold cheaper elsewhere.
As detailed on the website “Steam You Owe Us,” Shotbolt alleges that Valve “impose price restrictions which mean that games sold on Steam cannot be offered at lower prices on other platforms, making it harder for rivals to compete and keeping prices high.”
Shotbolt also states that it’s anti-consumer for Valve to restrict DLC purchases for products bought through the Steam storefront to the Steam storefront: “Once you buy a game on Steam, you are locked into buying all add-ons there too, allowing Valve to collect a commission on every transaction.”
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The lawsuit alleges that Valve forces developers to give them a 30% cut of profits if they wish to list their game on Steam, which, according to Shotbolt, also has a knock-on effect for the consumer and leads to overall higher prices.
Now, I’m not a lawyer. Also, I’m not going to pick a fight with a team of lawyers, because that sounds like it could lead to a second lawsuit down the road.
The lawsuit alleges that Valve won’t allow publishers to put their games on Steam if they intend to sell them on rival platforms at a lower price.
Slay the Spire is sold for £19.49 on GoG, for £9.99 on the Apple App Store, and for £19.99 on Steam. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is £64.99 on GoG, and £68.98 on Steam.
How to Claim Money From Valve
The lawsuit website claims that you could be owed compensation if you are a PC gamer and at least 13 years old or are the parent of a PC gamer. It alleges that 14 million PC gamers in the UK could've been overcharged by Valve. Potential compensation is estimated between £22 and £44, including Scotland.
While there is no guarantee that compensation will be awarded, there is no cost to individuals at any point throughout the claim. You can read more about the lawsuit and its list of FAQs here.
I don’t have any skin in this game. Anti-consumer practices suck.
And hey, if Valve loses this lawsuit, apparently, anyone in the United Kingdom who has purchased something on Steam could be entitled to some cash.
I wonder where said consumers would spend that cash?
Perhaps on… a new Steam game?