Controversy continues to trail the announcement of the price of the Steam Machine. First, the talking point was the $1,000+ price tag, then the claimed Steam Machine performance. The talking point now is the silencing of the gaming machine’s ‘Companion Cube’ by dbrand.
For those who may not be aware, dbrand makes precision-fit skins, screen protectors, and protective cases for consumer electronics. The Canadian manufacturer was working on a Companion Cube skin for the Steam Machine.
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The Steam Machine Companion Cube is a protective case and shell that encloses the Steam Machine. It was modeled after the iconic ‘Weighted Companion Cube’ that gamers will recognize from Valve’s Portal game franchise.
The main sticking point was that dbrand didn’t seek permission from Valve before creating the skin. Soon after launch, Valve’s legal team clamped down on it. Notwithstanding appeals from dbrand, Valve refused to shift ground.
Message from dbrand on Steam Machine Companion Cube
The Companion Cube, which launched on June 22nd, had become the second-fastest-selling product that dbrand has ever created, according to the company. However, in a Reddit post, dbrand explained the state of the product and what lies ahead.
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“As you’ve probably noticed, the Steam Machine Companion Cube was eviscerated from our website, YouTube, and other social media platforms last week,” read the lengthy post titled ‘RIP Companion Cube’.
“The blunt version is that we made the Companion Cube without a license from Valve. Everyone who purchased a Companion Cube will have their refund issued by end-of-day.”
Going down memory lane on how it started, dbrand wrote, “On November 12th, 2025, the day the Steam Machine was announced, we put up a concept render and sign-up page to see if anyone would be interested in a Companion Cube enclosure. It went moderately viral, with over fifteen thousand people signing up to be notified in the first day. In the months that followed, we built the idea into something real without ever asking Valve if we could.”
The problem was that they did not ask Valve for permission. At the end of the lengthy message, dbrand admitted that “Valve didn’t do anything wrong here”, adding that “They built a game franchise a lot of people love, and they alone get to decide how it’s used.”
Do you think Valve should have allowed dbrand to continue with the Companion Cube since it would indirectly also favor the sales of Steam Machine? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
