Steam users file antitrust suit alleging price-fixing with major publishers

In a California state court, three Steam customers have initiated a lawsuit against Valve Corporation, accusing the company of running an anti-competitive scheme that forces developers to keep prices uniform across all sales channels. The filing also names several leading game publishers, including Ubisoft, Capcom, Electronic Arts and Square Enix, alleging they accepted Valve’s terms for the sake of visibility on the platform’s large user base.

Plaintiffs contend that these agreements diminish market competition, limit product diversity and inflate consumer costs, violating the Cartwright Act. Valve, which retains up to a 30% commission on third-party sales, has previously faced a federal class action in Seattle and a separate lawsuit in the United Kingdom. Gabe Newell, Valve’s chief executive, has denied monopoly claims, citing competition from the Epic Games Store. The California suit requests financial restitution and an injunction to stop Steam from enforcing external price restrictions.