Sony faces a lawsuit in the United Kingdom that could result in a significant cost of up to £5 billion ($7.9 billion). The lawsuit, filed on August 19, 2022 by Alex Neill, a renowned consumer rights advocate and co-founder of Consumer Voice, represents 8.9 million PlayStation consumers in the United Kingdom.
The allegation is that Sony abused its near-monopoly on the PlayStation Store, imposing excessive prices on game sales and in-game purchases, while also applying a 30% commission to developers. It has been asserted that these prices are disproportionate to the actual costs of providing these services to customers.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled in favor of Alex Neill, allowing the case to go to trial. Neill expressed that this is the first step in ensuring that consumers are compensated for Sony’s law-breaking practices.
If Neill is successful, UK consumers who purchased digital games or add-ons from PlayStation Store between August 19, 2016 and August 19, 2022 could be entitled to compensation of between £67 and £562. Consumers do not need to join the process, but can sign up on the official website to receive updates.
Although it is a distinct case, it is notable that many arguments similar to those used by Epic in its legal battles against Apple and Google are being applied in this case. The success of the legal claim could potentially positively impact the digital market, making it more consumer-friendly.
