Valve Faces £640 Million Lawsuit

by Bruno Pferd January 27, 2026

written by Bruno Pferd January 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

Valve is facing a £756 million lawsuit in the UK over allegations of anti-competitive practices on Steam Market.
The consumer representative claims Valve illegally overcharged consumers by imposing excessive commissions and preventing lower prices on other platforms.
Approximately 14 million UK gamers who have made purchases on Steam since 2018 could be eligible for compensation through this collective action.
The outcome of this case could significantly impact commission models used by digital storefronts in the gaming industry.

Lawsuit Seeks £756 Million from Valve over Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices in Steam Market

Valve is facing a £756 million lawsuit in the UK. Consumer representative Vicki Shotbolt filed the case in 2024, alleging that Valve illegally overcharged consumers by abusing its market dominance and imposing excessive commissions, sometimes as high as 30%, on Steam game sales. The lawsuit further argues that Valve’s anti-competitive practices, such as preventing publishers from offering lower prices on other platforms and requiring Steam-purchased DLC for games regardless of where the base game was bought, contributed to inflated prices for consumers. Approximately 14 million UK gamers who have made purchases on Steam since 2018 could be eligible for compensation through this collective action. The court rejected Valve’s attempt to halt the case, finding sufficient grounds for a trial to proceed. Should Valve be found guilty of abusing its dominant market position, individual payouts could potentially reach into the tens of euros. This case is one of the largest recent legal disputes in the gaming industry, and its outcome could significantly impact the commission models used by digital storefronts.

In Case You Missed It

In the gaming world this week, we’ve got a trio of exciting news bites for you! Kicking things off is Wildlight Entertainment’s surprise release of Highguard, a new free-to-play FPS available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Authored by Carlos Mendoza, his post “Highguard: The New Multiplayer FPS from Titanfall and Apex Legends Veterans Surprise-Released, But What Do Players Think?” Highguard: The New Multiplayer FPS from Titanfall and Apex Legends Veterans Surprise-Released, But What Do Players Think? explores the game’s unexpected launch, its early player numbers, and the mixed reactions from players about its technical issues and gameplay mechanics. Meanwhile, Nintendo fans are buzzing with anticipation thanks to Bruno Pferd’s insightful article on PlayersForLife.com, “Nintendo Switch 2 May Get More Resident Evil in 2026” Nintendo Switch 2 May Get More Resident Evil in 2026. Bruno speculates that remakes of RE2, RE3, and RE4 could be in development for the Switch 2, fueled by Capcom’s announcement of Resident Evil Requiem as part of a trilogy, alongside potential ports of RE7 and Village. And lastly, Sophie Laurent shares some fantastic news about Monster Hunter Wilds’ sales journey in her post “Monster Hunter Wilds Sold 11 Million Units” Monster Hunter Wilds Sold 11 Million Units. Published on January 27th, the article explores how this action-packed title soared to impressive heights before experiencing a slight dip, ultimately surpassing an astonishing 11 million units sold.