Valve co-founder Gabe Newell has rejected claims that Steam holds a monopoly on the PC gaming market, testifying in 2023 that consumers have significant choice in where to buy games. His comments came during antitrust litigation brought by Wolfire Games, which alleges Valve uses its dominance to enforce price parity across platforms—prohibiting developers from selling games cheaper elsewhere. Newell denied Valve has any policy dictating prices on competing stores, emphasizing the company’s focus on innovation rather than control.

The legal challenges are active on both sides of the Atlantic, with cases ongoing in the U.S. and UK. While Valve has not succeeded in dismissing the UK suit, the U.S. proceedings have brought internal testimony to light. Wolfire claims Valve threatened to remove its game Overgrowth from Steam if it was sold more cheaply elsewhere—a claim Valve disputes.

Despite Newell’s stance, Steam’s market position is undeniably dominant, holding around 75% of the PC digital storefront market. In contrast, the Epic Games Store holds between 8% and 10%. Steam also hit a record 41.81 million concurrent users in January 2026 and generated $16.2 billion in revenue in 2025. Beyond the antitrust suits, Valve faces another legal challenge from the New York Attorney General, who accuses the company of facilitating illegal gambling through virtual item trading in Counter-Strike 2, particularly among underage users.