A recent report from Reuters indicates that a UK tribunal has given the green light for a lawsuit amounting to £656 million ($897.7 million) against video game company Valve to progress. The lawsuit, initiated in 2024 on behalf of around 14 million UK consumers, alleges that Valve has been imposing excessive commissions on its Steam online store.
The legal claim asserts that Valve enforces restrictions on game publishers, hindering them from offering products at lower prices or earlier on competing platforms. Lawyers representing the claimants argue that these restrictions essentially create a “lock-in” effect for users who make purchases on Steam, compelling them to procure all additional game content exclusively through Valve’s platform.
According to the Reuters report, the lawsuit deems Valve’s practice of charging commissions up to 30% as “unfair and excessive.” Despite Valve’s objections to the case proceeding, London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled in favor of allowing the lawsuit to advance.
This lawsuit forms part of a series of collective consumer litigations in the UK aimed at major digital storefronts. Notably, similar legal actions have been taken against Apple and Google concerning their app store commissions, as highlighted by Reuters. Additionally, Valve is concurrently facing a separate consumer lawsuit in the United States.