A £656 million lawsuit against Valve has been given the green light by the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which could lead to compensation for millions of Steam players.
You might have forgotten about it, but Valve was hit with a £656 million lawsuit in 2024, over claims it was abusing its dominant market position to overcharge players.
The lawsuit was filed by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt, who accused Valve of ‘shutting out’ competition when it comes to buying PC games and DLC. Shotbolt claimed the company breached competition law by imposing price parity clauses on developers and publishers, preventing them from selling games at lower prices on rival platforms.
As a result, it’s claimed Steam has been able to charge an ‘excessive commission of up to 30%’ on PC games and add-on content. Shotbolt believes 14 million Steam users in the UK have been overcharged, and if the lawsuit wins, she is seeking compensation for players.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London has now ruled that the case can proceed. Valve had previously argued the case should not be certified to proceed to a trial (via the BBC), but they lost that argument. However, no trial date has been set and it will likely be a few years away yet.
Shotbolt’s claim is backed by legal firm Milberg London LLP, who previously filed a claim against Sony in 2022, over similar allegations of charging too much through the PlayStation Store. According to court documents, that case is set to go to trial in March 2026.
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How can UK gamers get Steam compensation from Valve?
As noted on the lawsuit’s website, Steam users who paid for PC games or add-on content in the UK anytime after June 5, 2018 could be eligible for compensation.
As for how much, Steam users within this bracket could be entitled to between £22 to £44 if the lawsuit wins. It’s noted that Steam users in Scotland could ‘potentially [be] owed more compensation’.
Valve is set to launch a new gaming system this year called the Steam Machine, but a specific release date is yet to be announced.
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