Dbrand cancels Companion Cube because it didn’t actually ask Valve for permission

Dbrand cancels Companion Cube because it didn’t actually ask Valve for permission

Tech accessory company dbrand has canceled its Steam Machine Companion Cube enclosure effective immediately. The decision follows a legal takedown by Valve, as the company admitted it produced the Portal-themed accessory without obtaining a license or asking for permission.

The conflict began on November 12, 2025, the day Valve announced the Steam Machine, a hybrid PC-and-console device. Dbrand posted a concept render and sign-up page on that date to gauge fan interest. According to dbrand, the idea went moderately viral, attracting over 15,000 sign-ups within the first day.

Driven by this feedback, dbrand spent thousands of hours and poured significant resources into the project. The company developed 44 sets of injection-molding tools and redesigned the enclosure from scratch more than once to ensure a perfect fit for the Valve device. The commitment extended to marketing, with the company renting a university campus to serve as the set for the product's launch film.

The accessory launched at 3am on Monday, June 22, 2026. It quickly became the second-fastest selling product in dbrand's 15-year history, trailing only the Switch 2 Killswitch. The product was offered as a $130 hard-shell case, with a $99 Poverty Cube alternative. Dbrand stated that it was set up to lose money on every $99 unit sold, describing the effort as a passion project for the entire organization.

Shortly after the launch, Valve's legal team contacted dbrand. They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property and that dbrand lacked the necessary license. Valve requested the immediate removal of the product and the launch film. Dbrand complied with the request and subsequently filed an appeal, asking if the project could be kept alive under Valve's terms and with a proper license.

Valve declined the appeal. Dbrand described the refusal as a fair answer given their backwards approach of building first and asking permission later.

In a post on its subreddit, dbrand admitted,

"We built the idea into something real without ever asking Valve if we could."

dbrand, via Reddit

The company added that they will regret that decision for a very long time and acknowledged that Valve didn’t do anything wrong here, noting that Valve alone decides how the Portal franchise is used. Dbrand characterized the experience as a hard lesson to learn publicly.

This is not the first time the Toronto-based company has faced legal disputes over protected designs. In 2021, Sony sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding dbrand's Darkplates for the PS5. While those original plates were canceled, a version 2.0 was eventually launched with changes and remains on sale.

All mentions of the Companion Cube have been scrubbed from dbrand's website and social media platforms. Store page links now redirect to the company's Reddit announcement. Refunds are being issued as of Tuesday, June 29, 2026. Dbrand encouraged buyers to reach out if funds have not landed in their accounts by the end of the week.

Despite the cancellation, dbrand appears to be continuing other Steam Machine accessories. A Typeform page indicates plans for cases in various colors and one design resembling an old monitor.