“Shortly after [launch], Valve’s legal team reached out,” Dbrand wrote. “They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which Dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout. We took everything down and made an appeal. We asked Valve whether there was any way to keep the project alive: properly licensed, with their blessing, on their terms. They said no. Given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer.”

This is not the first time Dbrand has made the puzzling decision to create an accessory for which it could be sued by a gaming giant. Back in 2021, it attempted to release custom PS5 faceplates, something for which Sony had sued another company in the past. At the time, Dbrand even dared Sony to sue it, at which point the purveyor of all things PlayStation replied with a cease and desist. Dbrand ultimately redesigned the product to avoid infringement.

Are these elaborate marketing schemes or evidence of institutional boneheadedness? As is often the case in situations like these, why not both?

“To everyone who was as excited about this project as we were: thank you, and sorry,” Dbrand wrote of the Companion Cube case. “Refunds are being issued today. If it hasn’t landed in your account by the end of this week, you know how to reach us. To Valve: thank you for Portal, and sorry for the headache. We should’ve asked first.”