Wolfire and Dark Catt Antitrust Lawsuit Against Valve Granted Class Action Status

The legal battle between Wolfire Studios and Dark Catt Studios against Valve has taken a big step forward. It all started in 2021, and now the case has been given class-action status. What does this mean? Well, United States District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead has granted the motion for class certification, which means that this antitrust lawsuit could become a much bigger deal.

Wolfire Studios first brought the lawsuit in April 2021, arguing that Valve’s commission is just too high and is unfair. They claimed it goes against fair competition. However, in November 2021, this claim was dismissed. But Wolfire Studios didn’t give up – they decided to update and improve their arguments in May 2022. Around the same time, Dark Catt Studios, a VR game developer, also filed their own antitrust lawsuit in June 2021. While some of their claims were dismissed, the court allowed them to continue based on valid complaints.

Because the lawsuits were so similar, the court decided in July 2022 to consolidate both cases into one. This means that the class action will now include any developers, publishers, or individuals who have paid a commission to Valve for game sales. This class action specifically focuses on the 30% cut that Valve takes from each purchase, starting from January 28, 2017.

It’s worth noting that Valve isn’t the only company facing legal issues for similar practices. Sony is also facing a class action lawsuit for removing the ability for retailers like Amazon or GameStop to sell digital codes for PlayStation games. This move was seen as anti-competitive and potentially driving up prices for consumers.

As for the current status of the case, the judge has refused Valve’s request to exclude expert testimony from Dr. Steven Schwartz, who will be arguing for both Wolfire Studios and Dark Catt Studios. These two studios will act as the representatives for the class action.

It’s hard to say how long this class action will take, especially since Sony’s case isn’t scheduled to go to court for a few years. But one thing is for sure – this legal battle is far from over.