Overview
- Digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt filed the collective action in 2024 on behalf of up to 14 million UK Steam customers who made purchases since June 2018.
- The claim alleges Valve used platform-parity and anti‑steering rules that lock users into Steam and enable commissions of up to 30%, inflating prices for games and add‑ons.
- Provisional damages are estimated at up to £656 million, with average losses cited at roughly £22 to £44 per eligible consumer.
- Valve’s attempt to block certification was rejected, with the tribunal finding the proposed methodologies—including treatment of Steam Keys—coherent enough to be tested at trial.
- No trial date has been set, and the case sits within a wider wave of challenges to platform fees, including actions against Apple and Google and a related U.S. consumer suit against Valve.