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Dbrand to Refund All Buyers After Valve Declines Licensing Request for Companion Cube
Dbrand announced Monday it will refund all customers who purchased its Steam Machine Companion Cube. The company produced the product without a license from Valve after preorders opened last week.
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Dbrand announced Monday that it will refund every buyer of its Steam Machine Companion Cube accessory. The company said it made the product without a license from Valve. The Verge reported that Dbrand first announced the Portal-themed accessory in November 2025 and opened preorders on June 22.
The item became the second-fastest selling product in the company's 15-year history. Within days the product page disappeared from Dbrand's website and the promotional video was made private. Valve contacted Dbrand after preorders began.
Its legal team requested immediate removal of the product and video. Dbrand complied and asked to produce an officially licensed version, but Valve declined the request. Refunds will begin Monday. Dbrand stated that it should have asked for permission first and apologized to Valve for the headache.
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