The cube was a lie: up close with our Dbrand Companion Cube before it

In a significant blow to a company renowned for its defiant approach to intellectual property, Dbrand has been forced to cancel its highly anticipated Portal-themed Companion Cube external shell for Valve's Steam Machine. The move comes after game developer Valve, the rightful owner of the beloved Portal franchise, issued a swift legal takedown notice. Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz confirmed the unprecedented capitulation, stating that all manufactured units of the distinct accessory will be destroyed, with no alternative plans for release. Before this finality, however, The Verge secured an exclusive, up-close look at one of the doomed cubes, capturing its intricate details for posterity.

This cancellation marks a rare and surprising retreat for Dbrand, a brand that has built a reputation on its audacious challenges to corporate legal teams. In previous instances, Dbrand publicly told Nintendo’s legal team to “go fuck yourself” over a Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom-inspired Switch skin and even preemptively developed a second iteration of PS5 Darkplates after Sony threatened legal action over the original design. These past confrontations underscored Dbrand’s willingness to push boundaries and its confidence in navigating copyright waters.

However, the situation with Valve proved different. Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz candidly admitted, “We fucked this one up,” confirming that the company had indeed neglected to secure proper licensing or permission from Valve to use the iconic Portal Companion Cube design. This oversight, particularly given their history, is an incredibly embarrassing mistake for a company so intimately familiar with the intricacies of intellectual property law.

Despite its unfortunate fate, the Dbrand Companion Cube shell, as documented by The Verge, was a meticulously crafted homage to the beloved game artifact. Our hands-on experience on June 19th, just days before Valve's intervention, revealed a robust and thoughtfully designed accessory. Aesthetic touches included a playful barcode proclaiming “THE CAKE IS A LIE” – a classic Portal meme – and a distinct reference to "Test Chamber 11," the memorable in-game location where players first acquire the portal gun.

From a functional standpoint, the shell was engineered to seamlessly integrate with the Steam Machine. It offered a remarkably tight and secure fit, necessitating a gentle push rather than relying on gravity to seat the device, ensuring it wouldn't shift during use. Ventilation was a clear priority, with the design leaving all necessary vents unblocked and incorporating four elevated feet to maintain a crucial air gap beneath the Steam Machine. Access to essential ports was handled with equal care: squishy, rubber-like covers protected the USB ports, while the microSD slot featured a conveniently magnetic attachment. A practical internal detail allowed the hex key required for the four back cover screws to be stored within the case itself, ensuring it was always at hand. The only minor imperfection noted was a slight offset in the USB ports, which made an oversized flash drive impossible to insert, though standard cables would likely have fit without issue.

The destruction of these meticulously designed Companion Cubes represents not only a significant financial loss for Dbrand but also the disappearance of a highly anticipated fan product. This incident serves as a poignant and costly lesson, even for a brand as self-assured as Dbrand, highlighting the non-negotiable importance of obtaining proper licensing for intellectual property. For the legions of Portal and Steam Machine enthusiasts, what could have been a unique and celebrated accessory will now exist only in a handful of photographs and the annals of what-if gaming hardware.

FAQ

Q: Why was Dbrand's Companion Cube canceled?

A: The Companion Cube external shell was canceled because Dbrand did not obtain permission from Valve, the intellectual property owner of the Portal game and its designs, to use the iconic Companion Cube likeness. Valve issued a legal takedown notice.

Q: What will happen to the manufactured Dbrand Companion Cubes?

A: Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz has confirmed that every single Companion Cube shell manufactured will be destroyed. There is no "plan B" for the product to be released or repurposed.

Q: Has Dbrand faced similar legal challenges before?

A: Yes, Dbrand has a history of legal skirmishes with major companies over its product designs. They previously defied Nintendo regarding a Zelda-themed Switch skin and prepared alternative PS5 plates when Sony threatened legal action over their original designs.