The Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled a £656m market rigging lawsuit filed against Valve by digital rights campaigners can proceed, meaning 14m Steam users in the UK could receive compensation.
The lawsuit was originally filed by digital rights activist Vicki Shotbolt in June 2024, accusing Valve of rigging the PC games market and deliberately “shutting out” competition through Steam. Shotbolt had argued Valve imposed price parity clauses on publishers and developers, preventing them from selling titles at cheaper prices on rival platforms – limiting consumer choice and harming competition in turn.
Shotbolt’s suit further alleged Valve’s decision to prohibit consumers from purchasing DLC for their Steam games on rival platforms also restricted market competition, which, when combined with an “excessive commission of up to 30 percent” caused “inflated prices on its Steam”. As such, it asserted UK consumers are paying too much for purchasing PC games and DLC.
In response, Valve had argued the case should not be certified to proceed toward a trial, but (as per the BBC) the Competition Appeal Tribunal has now ruled otherwise. “A hearing to consider the PCR’s application for a collective proceedings order (“CPO”) took place on 14 October 2025,” a notice in the tribunal’s website explained. “On 26 January 2026, the Tribunal issued its judgment granting the CPO application ([2026] CAT 4).” Eurogamer has approached Valve for comment on the ruling.
Shotbolt’s lawsuit is being handled by legal firm Milberg London LLP, which specialises in group action cases against large companies (the firm was also behind a 2022 filing against Sony, which was similarly accused of abusing its market power). The collective action claim argues 14m people in the UK have been overcharged for PC games as a result of Valve’s actions, and is seeking compensation of between £22 and £44 for each one.
