The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection started a preliminary investigation on Steam and PlayStation Network for possible anti-competitive practices. Read on to learn more about what started this inquiry.
Steam And PSN’s Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices
Poland Starts An Investigation
Polish regulators have launched a preliminary investigation into leading digital video game platforms, Steam and PlayStation Network (PSN), over concerns about potential anti-competitive practices. The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) published a preliminary report last Monday, scrutinizing these platforms to ascertain if they violate Poland's antitrust laws.
The UOKiK's investigation focuses on several key areas of concern, including the alleged abuse of dominant market positions, exploitation of game developers leading to higher prices for players, restrictions on the sale of games across rival platforms or online stores, interference with pricing and discount policies, and limiting market access for competitors.
Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK, highlighted the evolving landscape of game distribution, emphasizing the shift towards digital platforms over traditional retail sales. He expressed concerns that such market dynamics might be accompanied by restrictive practices by major players, prompting the initiation of the investigation.
Evidence Gathering And Potential Penalties
The regulator has conducted inspections at the headquarters of Sony Group in Poland and two local game developers and publishers as part of gathering evidence. If the collected evidence substantiates the suspicions, UOKiK may proceed to initiate antitrust proceedings against specific companies.
Potential penalties for entities found guilty of anti-competitive practices include fines of up to 10% of their annual revenue, with responsible managers facing fines of up to PLN 2 million. However, the leniency scheme offers a route for reducing or avoiding sanctions by cooperating with UOKiK as a crown witness
and providing evidence of prohibited agreements.
UOKiK encourages individuals with information on competition-restricting practices to utilize their anonymous whistleblower program, ensuring full anonymity throughout the process.
Steam’s Inflated Pricing In Poland
Another event that may be connected to the regulator’s decision may be the recent investigation by Polish website Lowcygier.pl, which shed light on the disparity in game prices on Valve's platform. The investigation revealed that Poland pays among the highest prices globally due to outdated exchange rates. This disproportionality and the country's average wages prompted the media outlet to initiate an appeal to rectify the situation.
Through petitions and social media campaigns such as Let's fix Polish prices on Steam,
gamers are rallying to draw attention to the issue and advocate for fair pricing. The initiative aims to highlight the impact of outdated exchange rates and encourage Valve to update its pricing schedule for Poland, aligning it with other European Union member states.
The effectiveness of these efforts is already evident, as demonstrated by recent price adjustments. Following the launch of Hades II, the game's price in Poland was significantly reduced, with refunds issued to players who had previously purchased the game at a higher price. Additionally, prices for several other titles, including Felvidek, Door Kickers 2, and Hellish Quart, have also been lowered in response to consumer feedback.
The media's encouragement for gamers to engage directly with developers and Valve's support channels underscores the importance of community involvement in addressing regional pricing disparities. By raising awareness and advocating for change, Polish gamers are actively promoting fairness and affordability in the digital game market.
Source:
UOKiK Press Release
Inflated Prices On Steam
