Valve must now defend a £656 million collective lawsuit in the UK after the Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected its bid to block the case from advancing to trial.
Filed in 2024 by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt on behalf of up to 14 million UK Steam users, the action backed by Milberg London LLP targets Steam’s alleged abuse of its dominant PC gaming market position.
It covers customers who bought games or add ons on Steam or rival platforms since 2018, with potential compensation if successful.
Key Allegations
- Restrictive contracts: Steam limits publishers from offering lower prices or earlier releases on competing storefronts.
- DLC lock-in: Buyers of base games on Steam must purchase all DLC through the platform, trapping users in Valve’s ecosystem.
- Excessive commissions: Up to 30% fees on sales, costs passed to consumers as inflated prices. dexerto.com
Background and Steam’s Dominance
The ruling follows Valve’s failed challenge to certify the claim. A separate consumer lawsuit targets Valve in the US.
Steam, launched in 2003, dominates PC gaming: 19,000+ games released in 2025 generated $11.7 billion in revenue with the platforms bigger ever month in the most recent December.
