FAQs
Have a question? Check out the FAQs below.
About the Claim
What is the claim about?
The claim alleges that since at least 4 June 2018, Valve Corporation has abused its dominant position in the PC gaming market – leading to UK gamers paying more than they should for PC games and add-on game content on Steam, Valve’s popular game distribution platform.
The claim alleges that Valve Corporation is breaching competition law by:
- Preventing price competition – Valve impose price restrictions (“Price Parity Obligations”, or wide most favoured nation clauses “MFNs”) which mean that games sold on Steam cannot be offered at lower prices on other distribution platforms, making it harder for rivals to compete and keeping prices high throughout the PC gaming market.
- Controlling pricing and release timing for in-game content – Developers are restricted from offering add-on content at lower prices or at earlier release dates on other distribution platforms, limiting consumer choice and value.
- Tying in-game purchases to Steam – Once you buy a game on Steam, you are locked into buying all add-ons there too, allowing Valve to collect a commission on every transaction.
- Charging high commissions to developers – These extra costs are often passed on to consumers through higher game and add-on prices.
We allege that this behaviour has harmed competition and led to inflated prices for UK gamers. Under UK competition law, companies with a dominant market position are not allowed to block fair competition or control pricing in this way (Competition Act, 1998, Chapter 2).
This claim is about making sure powerful companies like Valve play fair, so that gamers benefit from lower prices, better platforms, and real choice. Read more about the claim and view our key documents.
The Claim Form is also available here for more information.
Who is the claim against?
The claim is against Valve Corporation. Valve owns Steam – the largest digital distribution platform for PC games.
How has Valve allegedly broken the law?
We believe that Valve has abused its dominant position in the PC gaming market, in breach of UK competition law (Competition Act, 1998, Chapter 2). This alleged misconduct falls into three main areas:
- Blocking cheaper prices on other distribution platforms (“Price Parity Obligation” clauses, or “wide MFNs”): We say that Valve imposes price parity clauses that prevent game developers from offering lower prices for PC games and add-on content on rival platforms. These price parity clauses apply to all games listed on Steam, not only those distributed via Steam Keys. As a result, other platforms cannot offer better prices, limiting consumer choice and keeping prices higher across the board. This harms competition in the market and stops other platforms from improving their services.
- Forcing gamers to buy add-on content through Steam (Tying): We say that Valve imposes restrictions that add-on content (such as downloadable extras) be bought only through Steam if the game was purchased there. This is anticompetitive as these conditions are unilaterally imposed without publisher choice. We say this is unfair because add-ons are a separate product – and gamers might find them cheaper elsewhere if given the choice. This restriction gives Valve more control, cuts out competition, and forces consumers to pay commissions that Valve collects.
- Charging excessive fees (Excessive pricing): Valve charges developers a commission of up to 30% on every sale. Although this fee is charged to publishers, it gets passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices of games and add-on content on Steam.
We believe this conduct has caused UK gamers to pay more than they should, while also harming innovation and competition in the market. You can read more about the claim in the Collective Proceedings Claim Form, available here.
Why is this important to gamers?
This collective legal action is seeking compensation for PC gamers who may have overpaid for PC games and add-on content as a result of Valve Corporation’s actions.
The claim is intended to promote fair competition and fair pricing in the digital gaming industry. It aims to ensure that dominant companies like Valve do not stifle competition in the market. When competition is fair, PC gamers benefit from better services and prices.
What are the potential outcomes of this claim?
Vicki Shotbolt is seeking financial compensation for PC gamers who were affected by inflated prices they have paid due to Valve’s alleged anti-competitive conduct.
In addition to compensation, the Tribunal may require Valve to change how it operates its Steam platform or implement other remedies it deems appropriate. These outcomes aim to improve fairness in the digital gaming market.
Will Steam be shut down if this claim succeeds?
No. This claim is not trying to shut down Steam or stop anyone from gaming. The goal is to ensure that Steam operates fairly under UK competition laws, and does not misuse its market power to overcharge consumers.
How much compensation will I receive and when?
The estimated compensation ranges from around £22 to £44 per person, depending on how much an individual has spent on Steam or other PC gaming platforms for PC games and add-on content. Additional compensation may be available for those based in Scotland. While there is no guarantee that compensation will be awarded, there is no cost to individuals at any point throughout the claim.
The total estimated compensation is £656 million, covering approximately 14 million PC gamers. Collective claims like this help consumers seek redress against large companies when individual losses may seem small but add up significantly across the group.
If the claim is successful, compensation will be distributed to those affected by Valve Corporation’s anti-competitive behaviour.
How long will it take to get compensation?
Claims of this size can take several years to resolve. Sign up to stay updated as the claim progresses.
The collective proceedings claim against Valve was filed at The Competition Appeal Tribunal (‘Tribunal’) on 4 June 2024.
On 26 January 2026, the Tribunal handed down judgment and decided to certify the claim. As such, the Tribunal confirmed that the claim may proceed to trial as a collective action, and confirmed that Vicki Shotbolt is a suitable class representative for affected gamers.
At trial, the Tribunal will hear evidence from both sides (the claimant and defendant) and decide whether to award damages to those affected.
At any stage, the parties may agree to an out-of-court settlement. However, any proposed settlement must be reviewed and approved by the Tribunal.
How do I join the claim?
This claim is an opt-out proceeding. This means you are automatically included in the Class if you have paid for PC games or add-on content in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland from 4 June 2018 (or 1 January 2010 for Scotland) to 4 June 2024 and you are a UK resident on 11 March 2026.
Sign up to stay updated as the claim progresses.
Opting-in
If you are not a UK resident on 11 March 2026 (even if you were before) but made a relevant purchase of a PC game or add-on content, you must take steps to opt-in to the Class if you want to be part of the claim and be eligible to receive a payment in the future.
Complete the opt-in webform, available here: https://optin.steamyouoweus.co.uk/
In order to opt-in to the Class you must provide your full name, postal address and country of domicile, email address and telephone number, and state that you satisfy the criteria set out in the Class Definition.
If you prefer, you may also opt-in by post. Send the opt-in form, which can be downloaded here, or a letter with the information listed in the previous paragraph to:
Steam Games Collective Claim
P.O. Box 1435
Sunderland
SR5 9UD
Anyone opting in by letter must include a clear statement that they are over 18. To be considered, your opt-in request must be received or postmarked by 11 June 2026. Once your opt-in request is received and processed, you will be sent an acknowledgement by email if you have provided an email address in your letter, or by post if not. If you are opting in via webform, you will receive automatic confirmation on completion of the form.
About the class
Who is eligible?
Vicki Shotbolt is seeking compensation for everyone who paid for PC games or add-on content in the UK from 4 June 2018. For those based in Scotland, this date extends back to 1 January 2010.
The group of people who have been affected are known as the “Class” – find out more about how the Class of affected gamers is defined.
What is the class definition?
The class of claimants for the purpose of the Claim (known as the “Class” and “Class Members” or “CMs”) consists of:
All Persons who, during the Class Period, made one or more payments to purchase (“Purchasers”): (a) PC Games, and/or (b) Add-on Content for PC Games, including subscription payments for PC Games and/or Add-on Content (collectively “Relevant Purchases”).
For the purposes of this definition of the Class (“Class Definition”):
- “Persons” are end-consumers, and do not include resellers or other non-retail customers. Persons include, in particular, people who purchase PC Games and/or Add-on Content for use by themselves or by people they know (such as friends or family members).
- “Purchasers” include, for the avoidance of doubt: (a) where the payment was taken from a bank or credit card at the time of purchase (whether through the submission of card details or the use of digital wallet technologies such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Paypal etc.), the person whose account the money was taken from; (b) where the payment was made with pre-loaded funds on a user account (e.g. Steam Wallet, Epic Wallet etc.), the user account holder; and (c) where the payment was made using a monetary gift card or voucher, the person who made the payment using that card or voucher.
- “Class Period” means the period: (i) from 4 June 2018 to 4 June 2024, in relation to members of the Class domiciled in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; and (ii) from 1 January 2010 to 4 June 2024 in relation to members of the Class domiciled in Scotland.
- “PC Games” means video games designed to be played on PCs (i.e. personal computers), as opposed to on other types of hardware such as consoles or mobiles, including PCs built by Apple and/or using a Mac operating system.
- “Add-on Content” means content that can be added-on to PC Games that is purchased after the initial acquisition of the game, sometimes referred to as Downloadable Content (“DLC”), and includes content acquired through Microtransactions completed during gameplay.
All Persons who fall within the definition of the Class and, on 11 March 2026, are:
- domiciled in the UK, are automatically included in the Class; and
- not domiciled in the UK, are permitted to opt-in to the proceedings by 11 March 2026.
In respect of any person who meets the Class Definition but has subsequently died, the Class will include their legal representative, a successor or assignee.
What do I need to do to participate in the claim?
If you are domiciled in the UK on 11 March 2026, you do not need to do anything. Class Members (see the Class definition above) domiciled in the UK on 11 March 2026, will automatically be included in the claim.
You can sign up for updates which we will provide as the claim progresses.
Opting-in
If you are not a UK resident on 11 March 2026, (even if you were before) but made a relevant purchase of a PC game or add-on content, you must take steps to opt-in to the Class if you want to be part of the claim and be eligible to receive a payment in the future.
Complete the opt-in webform, available here: https://optin.steamyouoweus.co.uk/
In order to opt-in to the Class you must provide your full name, postal address and country of domicile, email address and telephone number, and state that you satisfy the criteria set out in the Class Definition.
If you prefer, you may also opt-in by post. Send the opt-in form, which can be downloaded here, or a letter with the information listed in the previous paragraph to:
Steam Games Collective Claim
P.O. Box 1435
Sunderland
SR5 9UD
Anyone opting in by letter must include a clear statement that they are over 18. To be considered, your opt-in request must be received or postmarked by 11 June 2026. Once your opt-in request is received and processed, you will be sent an acknowledgement by email if you have provided an email address in your letter, or by post if not. If you are opting in via webform, you will receive automatic confirmation on completion of the form.
What can I do if I don’t want to be a part of this claim?
If you don’t want to be a part of the claim, you will need to opt-out by 11 June 2026.
You can opt-out of the claim by completing the opt-out webform, available here. Alternatively, you can send a letter by email to [email protected], or by post to:
Steam Games Collective Claim
P.O. Box 1435
Sunderland
SR5 9UD
Include the following statement in your letter “I want to opt-out of the UK collective claim against Valve, Case No. 1640/7/7/24,” (or words to that effect that clearly express an intent to opt-out of the claim) along with your full name, postal address, email address and telephone number. Anyone opting out by letter or email must include a clear statement that they are over 18. Sign and date your opt-out letter if sent by post. You do not have to give a reason for opting out. A template letter is available here.
To be processed, your webform or opt-out letter must be received or postmarked by 11 June 2026.
Once your opt-out letter is received and processed, you will be sent an acknowledgement by email if you have provided an email address when submitting by post, or by post if not. If you are opting out via webform, you will receive automatic confirmation on completion of the form.
By opting out, you will not be able to claim a share of any compensation that becomes available. However, you may be able to bring your own separate claim against Valve in relation to the same issues.
What if I’m no longer a Steam user?
IIf you are within the Class, you will be included in the claim, even if you are no longer a Steam user. The Class Definition also includes individuals who purchased PC games or add-on content from other distribution channels or websites.
Is there any risk for me if the claim fails?
There is no risk for Class Members.
You will not have to pay anything at any stage in the claim, even if it is unsuccessful. You will not face any personal risk in relation to these proceedings.
For more detail on who is paying for the claim, see Who is funding the claim?
About the legal framework
What is competition law?
Competition law seeks to curb practices that undermine or restrict competition to the detriment of consumers. Competition law infringements include abuses of dominant market positions by companies in accordance with Chapter 2 of the Competition Act, 1998.
What is the Competition Appeal Tribunal?
Collective competition proceedings can only be brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which specialises in resolving competition law disputes.
What are collective proceedings?
Collective proceedings are when a group of people affected by the same issue are represented by a single person to bring a claim. It provides important access to justice in circumstances where they might not otherwise be able to bring a claim.
Consumers can use collective proceedings to hold large companies to account. Collective actions need class representatives and the class representative in this claim is Vicki Shotbolt.
The group of claimants is referred to as a ‘class’ and each claimant in the group is referred to as a ‘class member’.
The first step in bringing collective proceedings is to apply for authorisation from the Competition Appeal Tribunal. This is achieved by filing an application for a Collective Proceedings Order. This Order of the Tribunal authorises the proposed class representative to act on behalf of the class and certifies the individual claims for inclusion in the collective proceedings. Vicki Shotbolt filed an application for a Collective Proceedings Order on 4 June 2024. The Tribunal handed down judgment on the application for a Collective Proceedings Order on 26 January 2026. The Collective Proceedings Order was made on 11 March 2026.
Collective proceedings are categorised as ‘opt-in’ or ‘opt-out’, according to the way in which claimants are admitted to the class(es). Opt-in collective proceedings require class members to sign up to participate in the claim, while opt-out proceedings include everyone who falls within the class definition approved by the Tribunal in the claim, allowing individuals who prefer not to be included in the proceedings to opt out.This claim is brought on an opt-out basis. The Tribunal, in its Collective Proceedings Order judgment, held that this claim was a “paradigm” example of when opt-out collective proceedings are appropriate.
What does certifying the claim mean?
This is one of the earliest procedural milestones of a collective proceeding. When the Competition Appeal Tribunal ‘certifies’ a collective proceeding, it authorises the class representative to act for the class members and grants the class representative their application for a Collective Proceedings Order. This means the claim can proceed to trial, unless it is settled beforehand.
The Tribunal handed down judgment on the application for a Collective Proceedings Order on 26 January 2026. The Collective Proceedings Order was made on 11 March 2026, and is available here.
What is a case management conference?
A case management conference (also referred to as a CMC) is a step in litigation used by the Competition Appeal Tribunal to give directions as to the way the case is to be conducted and to set up the future timetable.
About the team
Who is Vicki Shotbolt?
Vicki is a leading campaigner for children’s digital rights. She is the founder and CEO of Parent Zone, which specialises in understanding the impact of online services/digital technologies on families and children.
Parent Zone’s work includes advising on government policy and commissioning independently funded research to inform its work with families and advocacy activity. Vicki is dedicated to working to improve the lives of children in an increasingly digital world.
Vicki is, via Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative Limited, bringing this action against Valve Corporation because she believes that users of Steam have been treated unfairly and she wants to make Valve Corporation compensate consumers.
As someone who understands the value and enjoyment that gaming brings to people of all ages, Vicki is not trying to shut down Steam or stop anyone from gaming. Her goal is to ensure that Steam operates fairly and does not misuse its market power to overcharge consumers. This matters especially because UK gamers spend large amounts on PC-games and add-on content, much of which is designed to encourage impulsive spending – something from which Valve profits.
What is a class representative?
Vicki Shotbolt, via Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative Limited, has obtained permission from the Competition Appeal Tribunal to act as the class representative in the claim.
A class representative is a person who represents those who are in the class. The class representative conducts the collective proceedings against the defendants on behalf of all class members, except those who opt out, and instructs the legal team.
A class representative is responsible for communicating with and issuing formal notices to the class members. We intend to facilitate this via updates and announcements posted on this website, email correspondence and written notices.
Now that permission has been granted by the Tribunal, Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative Limited is now known as the ‘Class Representative’ (as opposed to previously being referred to as the ‘Proposed Class Representative’).
Sign up if you would like to receive updates relating to this claim.
Who is Milberg London LLP?
Milberg London LLP is a leading consumer advocacy law firm. It is highly experienced in handling complex collective action claims.
Milberg has worked on some of the biggest consumer cases to be heard before UK courts, including a consumer claim against Sony Playstation which alleges the popular gaming platform has forced up prices for UK consumers.
Funding the claim
Will I have to pay if I’m part of this claim?
No, there will be nothing to pay at any point.
Vicki has secured funding to cover the costs of the claim, which means you do not pay anything to be part of the claim and will not have to at any point. See Who is funding the claim.
Who is funding the claim?
Vicki Shotbolt has secured litigation funding from Bench Walk Advisors.
The legal team at Milberg are working on a conditional fee agreement (‘CFA’), which means only part of their normal fees are paid (by Bench Walk Advisors) during the claim. The remaining fees are only paid if the claim is successful. This is common where a class representative is not able to fund a claim of this size and public importance on their own.
If the claim is successful, the funder and legal team will receive a fee or uplift (which is the difference between the discounted rate charged during the claim and the normal chargeable fees) in exchange for taking on the risks of the claim. This is common in all cases funded by third-party funders and via CFAs. The fee is calculated depending on the stage the case has reached and how much the class representative has spent.
The Tribunal oversees the amount of the success fees paid to lawyers and funders and the distribution of any compensation to the Class Members.
If the claim is not successful, the funder will not receive anything, and the legal team will only receive its discounted fees for the work undertaken. After-the-event (‘ATE’) insurance has been secured to protect against the risk of having to pay the Defendants’ costs if the claim is not successful. ATE insurance is a specific type of insurance to cover the risk in litigation of reasonably incurred adverse legal costs.
The Tribunal has wide powers to order the payment of fees, including the uplift, or other legal expenses or disbursements (when not recovered from the Defendants), including the success fee and funder’s fee from an award of damages, either before or after distribution to the Class Members.
A copy of the Litigation Funding Agreement can be accessed here.
Who really benefits from these kinds of claims – is it just the funder and lawyer?
No.
This type of litigation is essential to help address the imbalance of power that hugely favours big corporations to the detriment of consumers. Big businesses like Valve Corporation should not be able to get away with unlawful behaviour and should be held accountable.
For most people the idea of taking on big business is quite terrifying (if possible at all) and potentially ruinous. Collective Proceedings enable claims like this one to be brought on behalf of millions of consumers who could not bring claims alone. This was why the collective actions regime in the Competition Appeal Tribunal was established by the UK government in 2015, recognising that there were huge challenges with access to justice for consumers.