A Dutch consumer group is seeking more than $250 million in damages, alleging that Valve has leveraged its estimated 85% share of the PC game distribution market to restrict competition and keep prices high for consumers.

The action targets Steam owner Valve. It alleges that the company’s business practices have kept game prices higher for Dutch consumers for years.

According to a report by NLTimes, the claim was filed by Stichting Consumenten Competition Claims (CCC) under the banner GameClaim. As per the organization, it represents Dutch PC gamers who purchased titles through Steam or other PC game distribution platforms since 2013.

CCC also claimed Valve allegedly uses Most-Favored Nation clauses. This prevents developers from selling games at lower prices on competing storefronts such as the Epic Games Store. The complaint also challenges Steam’s long-standing 30% commission on game sales. It states that the fee contributes to higher prices for consumers.

According to them, Valve forces players to use Steam Wallet for certain in-game purchases. On the other hand, developers are being restricted from directing customers toward potentially cheaper purchasing options outside Steam.

As per an economic analysis conducted by Copenhagen Economics, Dutch consumers may have suffered more than €220 million in damages, equivalent to roughly $250 million. This figure places the damages at around €130 per Dutch Steam account, the group stated.

NLTimes also reported that the matter has not yet reached a Dutch courtroom. CCC is pursuing a pre-action process and hopes to reach a settlement with Valve before initiating formal litigation, though it says it is prepared to take the case to court if negotiations fail.

However, Valve has rejected the allegations, arguing that consumers have alternative options, including competing storefronts, consoles, and direct purchases from developers.

Valve’s Dutch challenge arrives amid broader scrutiny of Steam

This is not the first time that Steam has been legally challenged this year. Earlier in 2026, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal allowed a separate class-action lawsuit against Valve to proceed toward trial.

As per the case, Steam is liable to pay approximately £656 million in damages. Similar to the latest complaints, the case alleges that Steam’s policies resulted in gamers paying higher prices for games and downloadable content.

In the US, indie developers pursued antitrust claims against Steam's business practices. Meanwhile, the European Commission previously fined Valve over geo-blocking restrictions. It allegedly limited game sales across certain European Union territories.

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Written by

Nilendu Brahma

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav