Valve Bans Sales of Dbrand’s Portal Companion Cube-Themed Steam Machine Case

Dbrand has completely halted sales and wiped all information regarding its new Steam Machine case, which was styled after the iconic Companion Cube from Portal. The move comes following a swift legal notice from the IP owner, Valve.

The Companion Cube case was developed without official authorization from Valve. Shortly after pre-orders went live, Valve’s legal team demanded an immediate halt to distribution and advertising. Although Dbrand attempted to negotiate a licensing agreement, Valve declined, forcing the accessory maker to kill the project. Despite its short lifespan, the Companion Cube case became the second fastest-selling product in Dbrand's history, trailing only the Switch 2 Killswitch.

Dbrand invested over a thousand hours of engineering into the chassis and manufactured 44 custom injection-mold sets. The company even rented out a university campus just to shoot the promotional video. The case retailed for $99, a price point at which Dbrand claims it was losing money on every single unit sold.

Customers originally had the option to choose between standard cardboard packaging or a stylized box that included themed controller skins. Following the product's cancellation, Dbrand announced full refunds for all buyers, including international shipping costs. In a public statement, Dbrand apologized to both Valve and its customers, acknowledging that Valve was entirely in the right since they built the beloved franchise and hold exclusive rights to its intellectual property. The company noted that pulling the product was a painful decision, adding that the team would likely regret it for a long time after pouring their hearts into the project over the past seven months.

Earlier, a Chinese manufacturer unveiled an unofficial Steam Machine running SteamOS for 4,880 yuan (around $670).

Do you think Valve should have given Dbrand a chance to secure a license, or is strict brand protection more important? Let us know in the comments!