The lawsuit between Epic and Apple continues to affect the gaming industry dramatically. The case in question has sparked controversy over what falls within the scope of monopolization. This week, a game studio named Wolfire Games sued Valve because of Steam and its alleged monopolization of PC games market.
Indie game developer and creator of the Humble Bundle, Wolfire Games said they have sued Valve because most game developers had no choice but to sell most of their games on Steam.
It was cited in the lawsuit that Valve controlled 75 percent of the PC game market. Epic Games was also mentioned, because they have been trying to make Valve lower its fees for quite some time now by lowering fees in their own store. Xbox had recently lowered their cut to match Epic Games. Whether the aim behind this move is to put pressure on Valve or to just appear more developer-friendly is a question mark.
The privilege of Steam and its 30% cut rate caused Valve to be questioned. However, Valve thinks that Steam deserves this cut because of the features and the community it offers.
In my personal opinion, at the end of the day, most players will still choose Steam over the other stores. It is both a feature-packed platform and has the majority of the players’ game library. On the other hand, Epic Games has been failing in attracting loyal customers to its own store.
It is clear that, attracting players with free games and extra discounts can only work to an extent. Steam distinguishes itself from other stores with the features it offers. In this respect, I do not think Valve has a monopoly in any sense. However, we will continue to inform you as this case develops. Stay tuned!
