PRS for Music Sues Valve, Accusing Steam of Hosting Unlicensed Music

PRS for Music has initiated legal proceedings against Valve Corporation, the operator of the games distribution service Steam. According to a statement shared with Billboard U.K. , the collection society is alleging that works represented by its members have been made available on the platform without the appropriate license. PRS alleges that Valve has never obtained a license covering the musical works on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers since Steam launched in 2003.

The organization added that it had spent “many years” attempting to negotiate a licensing agreement with the company before issuing legal proceedings in the U.K. on March 4. Steam is primarily a marketplace where users buy, download and play games, though the platform also sells other digital content, including video game soundtracks. PRS for Music says titles available on the service that feature music written by its members include major franchises such as EA Sports FC, Forza Horizon and Grand Theft Auto.

Developers and publishers in the gaming industry generally secure synchronisation licences allowing music to be embedded within a game. But under U.K. copyright...