PC gamers win the first battle against Valve Corporation as £656m competition claim receives judicial approval
The UK specialist competition tribunal has certified the £656m legal claim against Valve brought by children’s rights campaigner, Vicki Shotbolt. This marks a significant first victory for the class of around 14 million PC gamers against Valve – the owner of popular gaming platform, Steam.
The claim alleges that Valve has abused its dominant position in the PC gaming market under UK competition law by imposing excessive commission charges and anti-competitive restrictions on game developers selling gaming titles on the Steam platform.
These excessive commission charges are passed onto consumers by way of increased prices for PC games and in-game content.
Ms Shotbolt, the class representative, asserts that Valve’s conduct has increased the prices of games across the entire market. Therefore the class is not limited to Steam users but also includes purchasers of PC games and downloadable content on other gaming platforms and distribution channels.
This is an important moment for any gamer who has purchased a Steam enabled game. That includes millions of gamers who have been impacted by the unfair practices that have resulted in them being overcharged. This is an opportunity for them to get redress and for this major platform to realise that when they act unlawfully, they will be challenged.
Is the plaintiff a crackpipe enthusiast? the prices set on steam also reflect the same prices on other store fronts. is she claming the prices set on steam dictate how publishers price their games on other digital stores?
if that was the case, why are epic exclusives like Alan Wake 2 or PlayStation exclusives (on launch) set at a high price? or Nintendo? what am I missing here? ::: spoiler spoiler
my question is rhetorical, I know what’s going on lol
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Is the plaintiff a crackpipe enthusiast? the prices set on steam also reflect the same prices on other store fronts. is she claming the prices set on steam dictate how publishers price their games on other digital stores?
if that was the case, why are epic exclusives like Alan Wake 2 or PlayStation exclusives (on launch) set at a high price? or Nintendo? what am I missing here? ::: spoiler spoiler my question is rhetorical, I know what’s going on lol :::