Sony faces a class action lawsuit worth up to 6.3 billion pounds ($7.9 billion) over unfair prices for consumers. Read on to find out more about the case.
Sony Lawsuit Moves Forward
The People Fight Back
In 2022, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) was sued on behalf of approximately nine million people in the UK who bought digital content through the PlayStation Store. The case against Sony is valued at up to 5 billion pounds ($6.23 billion) plus interest and was brought up by consumer advocate Alex Neill. Her lawyers estimate that the case was up to 6.3 billion pounds in aggregate damages, according to court filings last month.
The Reason Behind The Lawsuit
Neill states that Sony has abused their position by having digital games and other downloadable content be bought or sold exclusively in the PlayStation Store. She also mentions that they charge a 30% commission rate to developers and publishers as well. This points to Sony overcharging customers with higher prices for content in the digital store and that they have been paying for these higher than they would actually do. Sony’s lawyers argue that the case is moot and should be thrown out because it is "flawed from start to finish."
The Tribunal Decides To Move Forward
The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London ruled that the case would continue, but people who made any PlayStation Store purchases after the case was filed should be removed from the proposed claimant class. Neill stated that the ruling was "the first step in ensuring consumers get back what they’re owed." At this time, Sony has not yet responded to the comment.
