To me it sounds like he’s concerned about choosing his words very carefully to avoid admitting any illegal practices. I wish I could read the actual transcript of the deposition. In a legal context requiring that the price on Steam be lowered to match the price on another platform is distinct from requiring that the price be raised on another platform, even if the real-world effect amounts to the same because they can’t afford to lower the Steam price. Whether or not his answer makes sense depends on how the question was worded.
Source of your quote: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/gabe-newell-on-steam-monopoly-accusations-gamers-have-enormous-choice-about-where-to-buy-games/
Their source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-06-01/valve-s-antitrust-reckoning-over-steam-has-echoes-of-apple-google-app-store-sui
To me it sounds like he’s concerned about choosing his words very carefully to avoid admitting any illegal practices. I wish I could read the actual transcript of the deposition. In a legal context requiring that the price on Steam be lowered to match the price on another platform is distinct from requiring that the price be raised on another platform, even if the real-world effect amounts to the same because they can’t afford to lower the Steam price. Whether or not his answer makes sense depends on how the question was worded.