So the dev wants all the benefits of selling on the Steam store while at the same time earning profits that they would if they sold it independently?

Am I reading that correctly?

I don’t understand. If the price is $7 elsewhere, why try to release on Steam for twice that price?

Why did the dev have to increase the price elsewhere to “match the price”, instead of matching the price to $7 on Steam?

Why would any store stock your product for the twice the price that it can be bought elsewhere? There is no obligation for them to stock a certain product (at any price).

I can’t dictate what other stores price it at, but I can certainly refuse to sell it in mine if it is not profitable for me. How is that anticompetitve?

There are plenty of alternatives to alcohol that can be used to get high. People just lack imagination.