Microsoft has been accused of colluding with Valve—allegedly "taking kickbacks" for agreeing not to compete with Steam
The scandal surrounding the alleged monopoly of Valve in the PC store market has suddenly spread to Microsoft. Two gamers from the United States filed a lawsuit against the corporation, claiming it helps maintain high prices on Steam.
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The plaintiffs allege that years ago, Microsoft and Valve agreed on price parity. According to them, under the deal, Microsoft agreed not to sell games cheaper than on Steam, and Valve pays it for this. Furthermore, the plaintiffs add that the parties allegedly conspired not only concerning prices but also regarding game release dates.
The gamers believe that ultimately all this prevented the creation of a healthy competitive market and led to an increase in game prices, deterioration in their quality, and a reduction in choice.
"Without collaboration with some of the largest companies in the PC gaming segment, Steam would not have been able to achieve and maintain the dominant position it has enjoyed for at least a decade. Microsoft is one of these companies," the lawsuit states.
As evidence of the collusion, the plaintiffs referred to documents that were previously disclosed during a series of lawsuits against Valve. For instance, they recalled that a couple of years ago correspondence between Microsoft employees surfaced, mentioning that Steam requires the corporation to adhere to price parity. However, no arguments regarding the existence of "kickbacks" were presented by the plaintiffs.
Neither Microsoft nor Valve commented on the lawsuit.