Story perspectives

Steam Hit with US Antitrust, UK $901M, Loot-Box Lawsuits

6/4/2026

Summary

Valve Faces Lawsuit

Valve’s Steam platform faces an ongoing U.S. antitrust lawsuit alleging monopoly practices.
Gabe Newell testified that customers have “enormous choice” and Steam does not set prices, although Wolfire Games’ 2021 suit claims a “Most Favored Nation” policy blocks lower prices elsewhere.
A UK tribunal approved a $901 million collective-action lawsuit in January 2026 while New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a loot-box lawsuit in February 2026.

Summary

Valve Threatens Ubisoft

Valve threatened Ubisoft with delisting Rainbow Six Siege editions from Steam unless price parity was met by tomorrow.
In 2017 Valve removed Middle-earth: Shadow of War pre-orders over higher prices, prompting a call from Warner Bros. president David Haddad.
Plaintiffs compare the tactic to Apple and Google disputes, warning it could hurt rivals such as Epic Games Store, GOG, or publisher launchers and reduce consumer choice.

History

Historical Context

Beginning on May 18 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice and 20 state attorneys general sued Microsoft for illegally bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, leading to a 2002 settlement that forced API sharing. Today, regulators in the United States and United Kingdom are probing Valve’s Steam platform for comparable bundling practices, raising the prospect of broader competition in digital game distribution.

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Valve Faces Lawsuit

Valve’s Steam platform faces an ongoing U.S. antitrust lawsuit alleging monopoly practices.
Gabe Newell testified that customers have “enormous choice” and Steam does not set prices, although Wolfire Games’ 2021 suit claims a “Most Favored Nation” policy blocks lower prices elsewhere.
A UK tribunal approved a $901 million collective-action lawsuit in January 2026 while New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a loot-box lawsuit in February 2026.

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