On June 5, Vicki Shalbot, a campaigner for children and families’ digital rights, filed a £656 million (roughly $834 million) lawsuit against Valve for anti-competitive behavior and excessive prices.
As reported by VGC, they accused Valve of making publishers sign a contract that dictates the lowest price they’re allowed to sell games for on rival platforms. In other words, if a game is on Steam and at least one other PC platform, Steam allegedly always gets the best deal during sales.
“Companies who hold a dominant position in a market are not allowed to charge excessive or anti-competitive prices,” the lawsuit’s website reads.
According to VGC, the lawsuit may take a couple of years to go through, but if it’s a success, PC gamers in the U.K. who bought games and DLC from Steam may be eligible to receive compensation between £22 to £44.
The lawsuit also points out that this behavior has allowed Valve to charge publishers a commission of up to 30 percent, which is considered expensive, especially compared to other platforms such as Epic Games Store, which charges publishers 12 percent.
Even though the Epic Games Store gives out a free game every week, its player count is nowhere near Steam’s. On the other hand, Steam allows digital retail websites like Humble Bundle, Green Man Gaming, and the like to sell games at a price that beats its own.
We will have to wait and see if the claim against Valve bears any fruit and if PC Gamers will receive compensation. We will keep you updated if anything happens until then.
