Valve’s £656 Million Lawsuit has crossed a critical legal threshold in Britain, after a competition tribunal ruled Monday that a sweeping consumer case accusing the video game company of overcharging commissions on its Steam platform can move forward.
The decision keeps alive a claim worth up to £656 million ($897.7 million), alleging Valve abused its market position by imposing restrictive terms on game publishers and locking millions of players into its ecosystem.
Tribunal opens the door to trial
London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected Valve’s bid to halt the case at an early stage, ruling that the lawsuit met the legal standard to proceed toward trial.
Valve, a major video game developer and distributor, did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling.
Millions of gamers at the center
The lawsuit was filed in 2024 on behalf of as many as 14 million people in the United Kingdom who purchased video games or additional downloadable content through Steam or other platforms dating back to 2018.
The claim is being brought by lawyers representing Vicki Shotbolt, a children’s welfare advocate, who argues that Valve’s business practices distorted competition and inflated prices paid by consumers.
