Valve faces lawsuit over Steam monopoly claims

Valve, the company behind the Steam gaming platform, is confronting a lawsuit alleging monopolistic practices. The legal action questions Steam's dominant position in the PC gaming market. An article from TechRadar expresses puzzlement over the claims, highlighting Steam's reputation as a consumer-friendly service.

Valve Corporation is the subject of a new lawsuit centered on accusations of maintaining a monopoly through its Steam platform. The case challenges the company's control over PC gaming distribution and sales. According to a TechRadar report, the author finds the monopoly allegations surprising, noting that Steam has long been regarded as the most consumer-friendly gamer platform available.

The lawsuit emerges amid ongoing scrutiny of big tech firms and their market dominance in digital spaces. While details of the legal filing remain limited in public reports, it underscores tensions between regulators and gaming industry giants. The TechRadar piece, published on January 28, 2026, reflects a sense of bewilderment, with the writer questioning the validity of the monopoly claims given Steam's user-centric features like easy access to games and community tools.

This development could influence how digital storefronts operate, potentially affecting developers and players alike. However, without further court proceedings, the outcome remains uncertain. Steam's widespread adoption has made it a cornerstone of PC gaming, but critics argue it stifles competition.

Verwandte Artikel

Illustration of Valve's Steam Machine console on a desk, showing a monitor with a game error due to Linux anti-cheat incompatibility.
Bild generiert von KI

Valve's Steam Machine limited by Linux anti-cheat compatibility

Von KI berichtet Bild generiert von KI

Valve has announced the Steam Machine, a compact console-like PC running Linux-based SteamOS, set for launch in early 2026. While it targets 4K gaming at 60FPS and supports many titles, it cannot run popular multiplayer games requiring unsupported kernel-level anti-cheat systems. Developers may need to expand Linux support for broader compatibility.

Das britische Competition Appeal Tribunal hat entschieden, dass eine 656-Millionen-£-Klage gegen Valve fortgesetzt werden kann, was potenziell zu Entschädigungen für 14 Millionen Steam-Nutzer führen könnte. Der Fall, von der Digital-Rechte-Aktivistin Vicki Shotbolt im Juni 2024 eingereicht, wirft Valve Antikartellpraktiken vor, die PC-Spielpreise in die Höhe treiben. Valves Antrag auf Abweisung des Anspruchs wurde am 26. Januar 2026 abgewiesen.

Von KI berichtet

Building on recent performance updates like the December 2025 SteamOS release for handhelds, Valve continues advancing SteamOS as a viable Linux-based alternative to Windows in PC gaming. Innovations such as Proton and the Steam Deck decouple gaming from Windows dependency, eroding Microsoft's dominance amid its AI focus.

An article argues that SteamOS has demonstrated the viability of Linux desktops that diverge from the traditional Windows interface. The piece highlights how such systems can activate a desktop mode only when necessary. Published on January 24, 2026, it challenges conventional design assumptions in open-source operating systems.

Von KI berichtet

Steam's October 2025 hardware survey shows Linux reaching 3.05% market share among users, a first-time milestone driven by the Steam Deck. Windows share fell to 94.84%, while macOS rose slightly to 2.11%. The growth highlights increasing adoption of Linux-based systems in PC gaming.

Valves bevorstehendes Steam-Machine-Gaming-Gerät ist auf Websites von Drittanbieter-Händlern aufgetaucht und offenbart mögliche Preisdetails. Die durchgesickerten Listings deuten auf Kosten von rund 950 Dollar für ein 512-GB-Modell und 1070 Dollar für eine 2-TB-Version hin, wobei es sich um steuerfreie Schätzungen in tschechischen Kronen handelt.

Von KI berichtet

Michał Kiciński, Mitbegründer von GOG, hat den DRM-freien PC-Gaming-Store von CD Projekt Red übernommen und versprochen, die Kern-Anti-DRM-Politik beizubehalten. In einem kürzlichen Interview skizzierte er Pläne, die Plattform durch Ausrichtung auf Nischenmärkte trotz Konkurrenz von Steam wachsen zu lassen. Dieser Schritt sichert die Kontinuität des 18-jährigen Engagements von GOG für uneingeschränkten Spielzugriff.

 

 

 

Diese Website verwendet Cookies

Wir verwenden Cookies für Analysen, um unsere Website zu verbessern. Lesen Sie unsere Datenschutzrichtlinie für weitere Informationen.
Ablehnen