Steam currently dominates the PC digital download market, but retailers are becoming increasingly angry that the company monopolises such a huge share of the sector, claims trade mag, MCV.

Such is the bitter taste that Steam has left in the mouths of some retailers that there’s been a backlash from two unnamed companies, who have threatened to stop stocking games if publishers continue to use the service to sell their products.

One of the biggest U.K. games retailers told MCV:

“If we have a digital service, then I don’t want to start selling a rival in-store. Publishers are creating a monster – we are telling suppliers to stop using Steam in their games.”

The other major company that spoke with MCV was an unnamed digital service provider who believes, despite Steam's success and popularity, the power still lies with the retailers and if they apply enough pressure, publishers will sit up and take note.

“At the moment the big digital distributors need to stock games with Steam," commented the Head of Sales for the company. "But the power resides with bricks and mortar retailers, they can refuse to stock these titles. Publishers are hesitant, but retail must put pressure on them.”

Hasn't Steam, thankfully, kept PC gaming alive and opened it up to the masses? Have you been in a video game shop recently - you can count the PC games they stock on one hand, unless it happens to be a incredibly anticipated title such as Starcraft II? Steam is said to have a large 80 per cent share of the PC download market, but we can’t see many publishers being too worried by the threat of the retailers pulling out. Maybe some of these retailers should step up to the mark and create a decent service to rival Steam and then perhaps they can all take a healthy share of the profits. The fact of the matter is: Steam provides a service that the modern day gamer wants and needs, and it does so very well. No one else comes close.