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Dbrand, known for its consumer electronics accessories, has officially pulled the plug on its highly publicized Companion Cube-style wrap for the Steam Machine. The company confirmed that the project, which was built without permission from Valve, is dead, and all preorders are being refunded.
A Passion Project Without Permission
The controversy began on November 12, 2025, when Dbrand unveiled a concept render and sign-up page for the custom wrap. The design garnered significant interest, with over 15,000 people signing up for notifications. According to Dbrand, the project quickly evolved into a massive internal undertaking.
The company stated it poured over 1,000 hours into engineering and industrial design to ensure the wrap fit the Steam Machine perfectly. This included creating 44 sets of injection molding tools for the cube's components and even renting out a university campus to film the official launch video. Despite the effort, Dbrand admitted the oversight: “We made the Companion Cube without a license from Valve. We’re going to regret that decision for a very long time.”
Valve Steps In
Dbrand began taking payments for the units on June 22, 2026. The product quickly became the second-fastest selling item in the company's 15-year history, trailing only the Switch 2 Killswitch. However, the success was short-lived once Valve’s legal team intervened.
Valve informed Dbrand that the Companion Cube is protected intellectual property and requested an immediate halt to all sales and promotional materials. Dbrand noted that Valve was “direct, fair, and respectful” throughout the process. When Dbrand attempted to appeal and negotiate for a licensed release, Valve declined, a decision Dbrand ultimately accepted as fair given their "backwards approach of building first and asking permission later."
The Aftermath
While the product has been scrapped, some units were sent out to influencers prior to the cancellation. These few existing cubes are now expected to become rare collector’s items. For those still interested in the console itself, Steam Machine preorders remain open, with the base model starting at $1,050. Early reports suggest the device, which features a magnetic front plate for customization, has met with mixed reactions regarding its financial value.