Video game industry leaders accused of price-fixing conspiracy

Three California customers sued Valve and ten other publishers, including Ubisoft, Capcom, Electronic Arts and Square Enix, in San Mateo County Superior Court, alleging Steam's requirement that third-party games not be priced lower elsewhere amounts to an antitrust violation under California's Cartwright Act. Valve takes up to a 30% cut of third-party sales on the platform.

The suit claims the named publishers accepted Valve's pricing terms in exchange for promotional visibility rather than competing on rival platforms, reducing product diversity and raising prices. It follows a still-pending 2021 federal class action in Seattle and a newer Sherman Act suit filed there this month.

Valve president Gabe Newell has previously said in a deposition that “customers have enormous choice,” despite Epic Games Store holding only a fraction of Steam's market share. The plaintiffs seek restitution and an injunction barring Valve from restricting external pricing of third-party games.

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