dbrand is immediately discontinuing sales of the Companion Cube case for the new Steam Machine and is refunding all pre-orders. The accessory manufacturer is responding to a cease and desist letter from Valve, as the product was being sold without an official license.
The case, which was visually based on the iconic design from Valve's Portal franchise, disappeared from all sales channels within a few hours. According to Studio statement dbrand launched the product on June 22, 2026. Shortly afterward, Valve's legal department intervened. The product infringed on intellectual property. Sales were halted.
All customers will receive their refunds by the end of this week. A subsequent attempt at licensing by dbrand was rejected by Valve. This means the project is definitively dead.
A familiar pattern in the gray area
This incident fits seamlessly into the manufacturer's history. Back at the launch of the PlayStation 5, the company clashed with Sony when it offered modified casing panels without permission. That resulted in years of litigation, culminating in a product redesign. Apparently, no lessons have been learned from that experience.
The business model is based on the limits of what is permissible. First produce, then capitalize on the hype, later ignore the lawyers. This strategy reaches its limits when platform owners consistently enforce their trademark rights. Valve acted understandably and legally soundly in this regard, but it's unfortunate for end customers.
For gamers, the only remaining burden is the administrative hassle of processing a refund. dbrand loses seven months of development time and significant production costs for a product that is not marketable. Anyone buying hardware accessories should opt for licensed products. This saves time and disappointment.
Instead of issuing warnings to others, one could have come up with this brilliant idea oneself, being a bit thin-skinned.
Dbrand could have simply licensed the design instead of profiting from someone else's brand without providing anything in return.
Or so……..