Business Dutch gamers file €220 million claim against Valve, operator of game platform Steam - The Dutch case is part of a broader international wave of similar legal action.

Steam app icon on Google Play Store on a tablet with a laptop keyboard as a background
- Credit: MamunSheikh /Depositphotos

A new Dutch class action has been filed against Valve Corporation, the company behind Steam. The case is brought by the Stichting Consumenten Competition Claims (CCC), which has launched the proceedings under the name GameClaim. The foundation acts on behalf of all Dutch PC gamers who have purchased games through Steam or other PC distribution platforms since 2013, IGN Benelux reports.

The foundation claims that Valve holds a dominant position in the market, estimated at around 85%, and is breaching competition law through so-called Most-Favoured Nation clauses. According to the complaint, these terms prevent developers from selling games more cheaply on rival platforms like the Epic Games Store than on Steam. This, they argue, keeps prices across the PC gaming market artificially elevated.

The foundation argues that Valve’s 30 percent cut on all game sales is overly high and reflects monopolistic behaviour.

In alleged tying practices for in-game purchases, players must use the Steam Wallet to complete transactions, with Valve taking another 30 percent commission on those payments. Developers are also barred from referring players in-game to cheaper options available outside Steam.

According to an analysis by economic consultancy Copenhagen Economics, the foundation estimates that Dutch consumers have suffered more than €220 million in total damages. On average, this equates to an estimated €130 in damages per Dutch Steam account, based on roughly 2 million accounts in the Netherlands.

At present, no formal court case has been filed in the Netherlands. The foundation is following a legal pre-action process and has indicated that it intends to first engage in talks with Valve, with the aim of reaching a financial settlement without going to court.

Should Valve decline to enter negotiations or provide compensation, the foundation says it will proceed to court and launch formal litigation. The resulting legal process is expected to last between 3 and 5 years.

In the meantime, Dutch consumers can sign up free of charge through the Consumer Competition Claims website to preserve their potential right to future compensation.

Valve CEO Gabe Newell rejects all claims of monopoly behaviour. The company argued in a conversation with Bloomberg that it does not set prices for external sellers and that consumers have plenty of alternatives, including consoles, competing stores like Epic Games, and direct purchases from developers. Valve maintains that its market position is the result of its platform’s performance and user experience.

The Dutch case is part of a broader international wave of similar legal action. In the United Kingdom, regulators approved a comparable large-scale class action in early 2026, valued at around €756 million. Meanwhile, in the United States, indie developers have launched an antitrust lawsuit against the same industry practices.

In earlier proceedings from 2021 to 2023, the European Commission fined Valve for unlawful geo-blocking practices, involving restrictions on the distribution of games based on users’ location within the EU.

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[Long Dong Silver 2025]

It wouldn't shock me if competitors were secretly behind this. How do you even enforce 85% threshold if it's the consumer themselves choosing to use Steam? So Steam should just give away customers because it's too good?

 

[Rome's rightful successor]

The foundation acts on behalf of all Dutch PC gamers

Something tells me they are not actual gamers.

 

[Sweeter and Savoury]

It wouldn't shock me if competitors were secretly behind this. How do you even enforce 85% threshold if it's the consumer themselves choosing to use Steam? So Steam should just give away customers because it's too good?

nah it's not European competitors, it's the Euro-cuck government pushing this as Lord Gaben won't bend the knee to their control attempts so they will now try to bankrupt him via nuisance legal issues.

They don't expect to win, they just want to bring Gabe to the table to "talk".

 

[Jerry1337]

these niggers should stop suing the GOAT

 

[N Space]

Gabe Newell is pretty much the only billionare I trust.

 

[Soggy Floppa]

The foundation argues that Valve’s 30 percent cut on all game sales is overly high and reflects monopolistic behaviour.

So Tim Sweeney is behind this then. Every single console store takes 30% as well, where are the lawsuits there?

 

[sodaboard]

they hold a dominant position because all their competitors keep acting like fucking retards and committing seppukku with fucking stupid business practices

 

[rel=alternate]

Should Valve decline to enter negotiations or provide compensation, the foundation says it will proceed to court and launch formal litigation. The resulting legal process is expected to last between 3 and 5 years.

Lol, OK is this supposed to scare Valve?

 

[Staticness]

Valve: makes Steam with excellent service
Valve’s competitors: make a literal shit sandwich
Also Valve’s competitors: Why does Valve have such a dominant market share?

The fact they’re litigating rather than trying to deliver an excellent product says everything one needs to know about them.

 

[Tanuki Mixed Nuts]

The foundation argues that Valve’s 30 percent cut on all game sales is overly high and reflects monopolistic behaviour.

In alleged tying practices for in-game purchases, players must use the Steam Wallet to complete transactions, with Valve taking another 30 percent commission on those payments. Developers are also barred from referring players in-game to cheaper options available outside Steam.

Not sure about dutch law, but this has been tried before I want to say, and had little effect, at least on Valve/Steam. The second sentence there is the important part I think, if they can do a valid monopoly claim. It's basically what Epic used to win against Apple with the payments through their apps on mobile. Issue is that I don't think Steam is actually a real monopoly, at least like iOS is to phones, or Android is to phones. So not sure how that argument would go, especially in dutch courts, cause I don't exactly know what their deal is.

 

[Historical Strelkov]

this is bullshit.
Name one valve exclusive not made by valve themselves, I’ll fucking wait.
Yeah, meanwhile PlayStation and Xbox have monopolies on their console purchases like apple.
The fact is it sucks to suck.
Gaben has my sword against these vultures.

 

[Asian tech support]

Meanwhile, Epic Games Store's wildly successful exclusivity program is such a Godsend for developers that they're chomping at the bit to get the fuck out and sell their shit on Steam.

 

[Bonesjones]

Not sure about dutch law, but this has been tried before I want to say, and had little effect, at least on Valve/Steam. The second sentence there is the important part I think, if they can do a valid monopoly claim. It's basically what Epic used to win against Apple with the payments through their apps on mobile. Issue is that I don't think Steam is actually a real monopoly, at least like iOS is to phones, or Android is to phones. So not sure how that argument would go, especially in dutch courts, cause I don't exactly know what their deal is.

It never works because valve doesn't make any claim to a game posted on steam, besides that the price on other storefronts can't undercut the price on steam.

 

[guiltyspark85]

According to the complaint, these terms prevent developers from selling games more cheaply on rival platforms like the Epic Games Store than on Steam. This, they argue, keeps prices across the PC gaming market artificially elevated.

Doesn't the same pricing requirement only apply to selling Steam keys and not rival stores like Epic?

 

[REGENDarySumanai]

It's not hard to be successful when all of your competitors share a brain cell and use it to kill themselves in violent ways.

 

[I Shidded I Farded I Came]

these terms prevent developers from selling games more cheaply on rival platforms like the Epic Games Store than on Steam. This, they argue, keeps prices across the PC gaming market artificially elevated.

Just when I thought my disdain for the Dutch had peaked they pull this shit.

 

[Commissar Fuklaw]

If you take a shot at the king you better not miss. Did they not learn anything from that nuisance Jew earlier this year?

 

[Lapsus of the bepsus]

i hope gaben wins and bankrupts these dumb faggots with the attorneys fees hes awarded

 

[TowinKarz]

Even US antitrust law has a specific carve-out that having a large share of the market alone doesn't make you a monopoly, you have to deliberately try to wreck competitors before you are liable for anything.

Like, only one foundry in the entire country makes a 5mm left-handed reverse threaded janny head? And they literally have 100% market share? If the reason is because no other company thinks they can break into that market at a profit due to specialized equipment/trade knowledge and just leave it be? Then that foundry can't be sued.

So, citing Valve's market share alone really proves nothing, except trying to win on feels and assuming anyone with 51% or more of a market can only have gotten it by cheating.

Assuming this isn't a shakedown as others have noted.

If I were in charge of Valve? I'd have just pulled out of the European market the first time they did this, let em have what they want... too much of this litigation goes on because the companies would rather take the short term approach and settle instead of just walking away after getting their hands bit.

Things would change for the better if the unelected bureaucrats and NGO lawfare specialists had to field calls from a million angry gamers who woke up to find their service disconnected on account of litigation they started instead of playing the lawfare game in the background.

Valve: makes Steam with excellent service
Valve’s competitors: make a literal shit sandwich
Also Valve’s competitors: Why does Valve have such a dominant market share?

The fact they’re litigating rather than trying to deliver an excellent product says everything one needs to know about them.

I've often said. A company/industry/product is cooked the instant they go to court and try to argue it's illegal to not use them.