The UK-based music licensing body “Performing Right Society” (PRS for Music) has filed a lawsuit against Valve Corporation for allegedly using their members’ music in video games available on Steam without a proper license since its launch in 2003.
The music licensing body has claimed that Valve Corporation has ignored all licensing attempts since the launch of Steam. Popular video games such as Forza Horizon, EA FC, Grand Theft Auto, among others, which Valve Corporation has no hand in developing, make heavy use of PRS members’ music for a more immersive gaming experience but failed to obtain “making available” rights from PRS for Music under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The lawsuit requires Valve Corporation to seek a retroactive license or a new one in the future or face a court decision on the matter. PRS for Music’s chief commercial officer, Dan Gopal, emphasized how music plays a vital role in gaming but still requires payment for its use, opting for a friendly resolution but prioritizing it nonetheless.
Valve is currently facing increasing legal challenges, particularly in relation to its Steam platform dominance. Some of the recent cases include a £656 million antitrust lawsuit in the UK, which was greenlit in January 2026, and the New York AG lawsuit, in which it was alleged that loot boxes in games such as CS2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 encouraged underage gambling.
