Wolfire and Dusky Catt’s Antitrust Class Action Against Valve Receives Approval for Circulation

Wolfire Studios and Dusky Catt Studios have received class action certification for their ongoing significant conflict with Valve.

A legal document reviewed by GamesIndustry.biz reveals that their request for class certification was approved by United States District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead. This converts the antitrust case from a scenario of two developers against the company behind Steam into a potentially significant wider conflict.

According to the document, the class action will pertain to any developers, publishers, or individuals who paid a fee to Valve in relation to a game sale—specifically regarding the 30% cut that Steam takes from every purchase—on or after January 28, 2017.

In the same ruling, the judge dismissed Valve’s motion to prevent the testimony of an expert witness, Dr. Steven Schwartz, who was brought in by the two studios to support their argument.

Both Wolfire Studios and Dusky Catt will act as the class representatives for this action.

Wolfire, the creator of Overgrowth, initially lodged an antitrust lawsuit against Valve in April 2021, asserting that the company’s 30% commission—termed “an excessively high cut”—constitutes anti-