Valve Sued For $838 Million Over Alleged Pricing Restrictions
What is the claimed percentage that Valve charges as a commission for selling games on Steam?
Valve is accused of charging an excessive commission of up to 30% for selling games on Steam. This commission rate allegedly results in inflated prices on the platform, causing UK consumers to pay more for purchasing PC games and downloadable content (DLC).
What are the "price parity obligations" that Valve is accused of imposing on game publishers?
Valve, the owner of the digital distribution platform Steam, is being accused of imposing "price parity obligations" on game publishers3. These obligations allegedly require publishers to maintain the same price for their games across all platforms, preventing them from offering the same games at a lower price on rival platforms. This practice is seen as anti-competitive and is central to the £656 million lawsuit filed against Valve in the UK. The lawsuit claims that this practice limits consumer choice, harms competition, and results in inflated prices for UK consumers.
What specific legal action is being taken against Valve by UK claimants?
UK claimants are taking legal action against Valve Corporation, the owner of the Steam gaming platform, by filing an "opt-out collective action claim" in the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. This legal action accuses Valve of overcharging around 14 million British customers and forcing game publishers to agree to "price parity obligations," which prevents them from offering the same games on other platforms for a lower price. The claimants argue that Valve's actions are anti-competitive and in violation of competition law. The lawsuit seeks £656 million (approximately $838 million) in damages on behalf of UK consumers who have made purchases on the Steam platform since June 2018.