Companion Cube Case for Steam Machine Is Canceled by Valve After Dbrand Bafflingly Forgot to Get Permission to Make the Thing
Valve declined to license the Portal-themed accessory, and Dbrand said the preorder item was its second-fastest seller in 15 years.
- On Monday, Dbrand announced it is canceling its Steam Machine Companion Cube enclosure and issuing full refunds to customers today, June 29, 2026, after Valve intervened to stop sales of the unlicensed product.
- Without obtaining permission from Valve, the accessory company developed the Portal-themed case, acknowledging its "backwards approach of building first and asking permission later" was a mistake.
- Dbrand noted that the project required 44 sets of injection-molding tools and over a thousand hours of engineering, making it the "second-fastest selling product in our 15-year history."
- After Valve declined the license appeal, Dbrand apologized for the situation, admitting it "incinerated our shot at bringing it to market" by failing to secure rights beforehand.
- This incident echoes previous legal trouble with Sony over "protected product design" regarding the company's PS5 Darkplates, though Dbrand plans to continue selling other skins for the Steam Machine.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Companion Cube case for Steam Machine is canceled by Valve after Dbrand bafflingly forgot to get permission to make the thing
Dbrand made a Companion Cube case for the Steam MachineIt was a tribute to the Companion Cube from Portal, and a popular ideaUnfortunately, Dbrand went ahead and made this product without any permission from Valve, and so had to withdraw it from sale todayDbrand has announced that its fancy case for the Steam Machine that made Valve's gaming PC look like a Companion Cube from Portal has been pulled from sale.Why? Because, rather unfathomably, as…
The Steam Machine Companion Cube was a lie
After Valve announced the Steam Machine, popular tech toy maker Dbrand announced the perfect accessory for it: a 3D case wrap that turns it into a Companion Cube, the mindless but beloved item from Valve's Portal series. Unfortunately, it neglected to do something important: secure Valve's permission to use the design. — Read the rest The post The Steam Machine Companion Cube was a lie appeared first on Boing Boing.
Companion Cube Steam Machine officially canceled after Valve cries foul
When Valve announced its cube-shaped Steam Machine back in November, one company asked the most obvious question: What if the Steam Machine looked like a Companion Cube from Portal? Manufacturer Dbrand then took the idea and ran with it, and more than 15,000 people signed up to buy one. After months of anticipation, Dbrand unceremoniously pulled a YouTube video promoting the Steam Machine Companion Cube accessory and removed it from the company'…
'Being Proud of the Thing We Made Did Not Give Us the Right to Make It' — Dbrand Cancels Its Steam Machine Companion Cube
Tech accessory company dbrand has canceled its Steam Machine Companion Cube enclosure effective immediately because it didn't ask Valve for permission to make it in the first place.The company offered fans of the massively popular cosmetic a lengthy explanation – and an apology – with a post on its subreddit. Refunds are already in the works as of today, with buyers encouraged to reach out if they haven't received one by the end of the week.Unfo…
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