Steam isn’t the fairest digital gaming marketplace of them all, according to a new lawsuit filed against the popular platform’s parent company, Valve Corporation.
The company is being sued for $843.2 million, for allegedly “rigging the market and taking advantage of UK gamers.” While it remains to be seen if this will hold up in court or not, there is no doubt the outcome of this case could have some reverberating repercussions on consumers, publishers, and game developers.
Steam’s Parent Company Is Allegedly Unfairly Icing Out Competition
As reported by the BBC, Valve Corporation is currently being accused of overcharging 14 million people in the UK by leveraging its market dominance.
There’s no doubt that the digital marketplace is the biggest for gaming, but what this lawsuit will prove is whether it’s guilty of using that to its advantage and suppressing competition.
The claim was filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London and states that the company is forcing game publishers to sign a special deal that prevents them from selling their games at cheaper prices on rival platforms like Epic Games Store, GOG, etc.
Vicki Shotbolt, a digital rights campaigner who is spearheading this case, says that she aims to “stop this unlawful conduct and help people get back what they are owed.” She claims that Steam has charged commissions of up to 30%, which has led UK consumers to pay high prices.
Shotbolt has partnered with Millberg London LLP to file the claim. Natasha Pearman, a partner at the law firm, says:
Competition law is there to protect consumers and ensure that markets work properly. When they don’t work properly and consumers are harmed, collective actions of this kind provide consumers with a voice and a way of holding big companies, like Valve, to account.
While this is a big endeavor to take on, Shotbolt’s support team of Millberg lawyers is crucial to this case. Especially because this isn’t their first foray into taking on large gaming companies.
Millberg’s Class-Action Lawsuit Against Sony
In 2022, the internet was taken aback when Sony PlayStation was sued for $7.9 billion by nine million claimants. The company was accused of ripping people off by charging a 30%commission on every game and in-game purchase made in the PlayStation Store.
The claim was filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal and every person in the UK who has purchased through the PlayStation Store since 2016 was entitled to compensation.
Alex Neill, the lead plaintiff, is backed by Millberg London LLP. Coincidentally, the partner leading the case was also Pearman, from the Valve lawsuit.
From the official website designated for covering the case, the last updated news is regarding how Neill was granted approval to go to trial with their case. We’re still awaiting more news about the case.
Have you heard about any of these lawsuits? If you had the power to decide the outcome, what would you pick and why? Let us know in the comments below!
