Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jul 1
Dbrand Cancels Companion Cube Shell, Destroying All Units After Valve's June 29 Legal Threat
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jul 1

Dbrand Cancels Companion Cube Shell, Destroying All Units After Valve's June 29 Legal Threat

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jul 1

Summary

  • June 29 forced Dbrand to scrap its Portal-themed Companion Cube shell entirely, with CEO Adam Ijaz saying the company has no backup plan and "fucked this one up."
  • Valve's lawyers moved after Dbrand sold the Steam Machine accessory without a license, prompting the company to pull the product and abandon a later appeal for permission.
  • Every manufactured shell will now be destroyed, extending beyond the earlier step of refunding all preorders for what Dbrand had called its second-fastest selling product.
  • The reversal marks a rare retreat for Dbrand, which had previously taunted Nintendo's lawyers and reworked PS5 plates after Sony threatened legal action.

Insights

As its console launches over $1000, did Valve miscalculate by canceling a viral third-party accessory?
Is Dbrand's 'build first, ask later' strategy a cautionary tale for creators in the gaming industry?