Wolfire Games, an independent studio best known for games such as Receiver, Low Light Combat, and Overgrowth, filed a lawsuit against Valve last year. The following are the specific claims made in the class action lawsuit: Steam has a hefty commission of 30%, a complex system of internal rules, and a requirement that all partners decrease the price of their products on third-party websites to the same level as the price on Steam. In the event of a breach, a Steam ban is imposed, which the developers consider to be a threat.
Wolfire Games summed up the situation by stating that all of this lowers the quality of games, discourages investment in them, and hinders the advancement of technology, amongst other consequences. In light of the fact that the studio couldn’t provide proof, however, the judge declined to accept the claim and instead ordered its correction.
Having gone more into the facts of the problem, the judge has determined that Valve can, in fact, violate consumers’ legal entitlements. As a matter of fact, when comparing Steam to traditional retail chains, Valve’s position is favorable and adequate. The attempt to control the market by an online service in the twenty-first century is equivalent to the attempt to control the market in the previous century.