Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative Limited v Valve Corporation

On 26 January 2026, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) granted a collective proceedings order (CPO) on an opt-out basis in Vicki Shotbolt Class Representative Limited v Valve Corporation [2026] CAT 4.

The claim, valued at approximately £656 million, concerns alleged abuses of dominance linked to Steam, Valve’s PC gaming platform. It is brought on behalf of up to 14 million UK consumers who purchased games or additional content during the relevant period.

The allegations include:

• Platform parity obligations restricting publishers’ ability to offer better terms elsewhere

• Anti-steering provisions requiring use of Steam’s payment systems

• Excessive commission charges allegedly passed on to consumers

Valve opposed certification, arguing inter alia that effective commission rates were difficult to determine and that the methodology was insufficient. The Tribunal rejected these arguments and confirmed that the Pro-Sys test was satisfied.

The case was described as a paradigm example for opt-out proceedings, given the size of the class and the relatively small individual losses. The proceedings will now move to trial.