Dbrand Scraps Portal-Themed Accessory After Valve Intervention
Dbrand is refunding every customer who preordered its Portal-inspired Steam Machine accessory, admitting the company failed to secure necessary permissions from Valve. The product vanished from the website just days after its launch, following a swift legal notice from the game developer that halted the project entirely.
The Companion Cube accessory, unveiled in November and opened for preorders on June 22, quickly became the second-fastest selling item in the company's 15-year history. Despite this commercial momentum, the project collapsed once Valve’s legal team intervened. Dbrand acknowledged that Valve acted within its rights, describing the communication as direct and fair.
Following the takedown, Dbrand attempted to negotiate a path toward an officially licensed release, but Valve declined the proposal. The company admitted its error in prioritizing production over legal clearance. Full refunds for all preorders are being issued effective immediately, closing the chapter on a venture that Dbrand now concedes was a mistake.
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