Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Backs $900M Lawsuit Against Valve Over Steam’s 30% “Junk Fee”

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While Sweeney’s critique is sharp, the nuances of Steam’s official guidelines are worth noting. Valve permits external discounts on Steam Keys provided that a similar offer is extended to Steam users within a reasonable timeframe. Essentially, Valve requests that its own customers aren’t given a significantly worse deal than those buying via external keys.

“In the current US landscape, mobile developers are permitted to steer iOS and Android users to alternative payment portals, where Apple and Google take no commission. Valve, however, remains the outlier among major PC and mobile platforms, clinging to tied payments and an excessive 30% fee,” Sweeney added. He compared the situation to a car dealership demanding a percentage of every gas purchase made after the vehicle is sold, arguing that once a game is owned, the platform shouldn’t control subsequent in-game transactions.

In further remarks, Sweeney clarified his stance, stating that while most platforms allow redirects to external payment sites, Steam supposedly forbids developers from integrating their own native payment screens or proprietary websites within the app. This assertion has faced pushback from the gaming community, with many pointing to specific Steam titles that do, in fact, utilize independent transaction systems.

Earlier this year, Sweeney also took aim at Valve’s stance on AI, remarking: “It’s disheartening to see Valve limit the potential for independent creators…”

 

Source: gamesradar.com