Last Tuesday a federal jury in Seattle handed Valve Corporation a clean win in a long‑running patent fight, finding that inventor Leigh Rothschild and related entities violated Washington’s anti‑patent‑trolling law, the state consumer‑protection statute and a 2016 licensing deal. The jury also returned an advisory verdict that at least one claim of U.S. Patent No. 8,856,221 is invalid and awarded Valve roughly $152,000. The decision closes a chapter in litigation that traces back to a mid‑2010s settlement and later suits over Steam and the Steam Deck.
Jury Verdict and Court Order
According to the court’s minute order on Justia Dockets & Filings, the jury sided with Valve on claims brought under the Washington Patent Troll Prevention Act, the Washington Consumer Protection Act and for breach of contract tied to the earlier settlement. The same minute order records an advisory jury finding that Claim 7 of the ’221 patent is invalid for obviousness. The judge directed the parties to file a joint status report by March 3 so the court can set a schedule for the remaining patent issues and any renewed post‑trial motions.
How the Fight Began
Valve and Rothschild originally struck a Global Settlement and License Agreement in 2016 that, according to pretrial filings, granted Valve a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty‑free license to Rothschild’s patent portfolio. The détente did not last. The conflict flared again when Rothschild‑controlled entities asserted new claims and sued over a patent they argued covered how content is displayed on Steam and the Steam Deck, which prompted Valve to sue back. Pretrial materials available via vLex show Valve pressed state‑law claims accusing Rothschild of bad‑faith assertions of patent infringement and sought to hold him personally liable instead of limiting the fight to shell companies.
Damages and the Wider Stakes
The dollar judgment was small by big‑tech standards, about $152,000, according to reporting by Gaming Amigos, but legal observers point out that the real impact is procedural and reputational. Coverage in Law360 notes that the jury’s finding that Rothschild and his attorney violated Washington’s anti‑trolling law could discourage similar tactics by non‑practicing entities and may change how plaintiffs structure future enforcement campaigns.
The judge’s minute order explains that the court will set a schedule for Valve’s remaining invalidity and unenforceability claims and invites the parties to weigh in on whether further trial time or additional motions practice is needed. For now, the parties have to submit a joint status report by March 3 that lays out the remaining issues and proposed timelines, as required in the order available on Justia Dockets & Filings…