TL;DR
- Accessory maker dbrand’s Portal-themed Steam Machine case has been canceled.
- Valve formally asked dbrand to kill the project, which was unlicensed.
- All pre-orders for the Companion Cube case will be refunded.
Last week, Valve opened reservations for its compact prebuilt gaming PC, the Steam Machine. The very same day, dbrand started taking reservations for an elaborate Steam Machine case based on the Portal series’s Companion Cube. In what seems like a very on-brand move for dbrand, the accessory maker apparently didn’t get Valve’s approval beforehand. Now, the project’s been canceled, and anyone who pre-ordered is getting a refund.
Dbrand shared the whole story on its subreddit today. After a concept video of the Companion Cube case gained traction in the weeks following the Steam Machine’s announcement last year, dbrand set about making the case a reality, never seeking any kind of licensing arrangement with Valve.
