Valve is in big trouble. It is currently facing an $843 million (27 billion TL) lawsuit in the United Kingdom. The reason for this is Steam’s pricing policies. So, what did Steam do to face such a massive lawsuit? Here are the details…
A 27 billion TL lawsuit against Valve due to Steam’s pricing policy
Valve is accused of using its dominant position in the PC gaming market to prevent rival platforms from selling games at lower prices. The lawsuit, filed by digital rights activist Vicki Shotbolt, claims that Valve has been able to charge high commission rates of up to 30%, which has significantly harmed consumers.
Vicki Shotbolt’s lawyer, Natasha Pearman, stated, “Valve manipulates the market and takes advantage of consumers in the United Kingdom.” Pearman emphasized that competition laws exist to protect consumers and ensure markets function properly and that such class actions are important for holding large companies accountable.
The lawsuit accuses Valve of making publishers and developers sign price parity agreements. These agreements ensure that the lowest prices are offered on Steam, preventing rival platforms from selling games at lower prices. This means that players end up paying more for games.
The lawsuit claims that Valve’s practices violate UK competition laws. The aim is to put an end to these practices and refund affected customers for their expenses. This case bears many similarities to a lawsuit filed against Sony two years ago, which targeted PlayStation Store prices. In that complaint, also presented to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, it was alleged that Sony did not provide savings to consumers by taking a 30% commission on sales.
It remains to be seen how Valve will navigate through such a lawsuit. Although Steam has won the hearts of gamers, it looks like it will face headaches due to these pricing policies. What are your thoughts on this matter? You can share your comments below.
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