A major lawsuit targeting Sony has just opened in the United Kingdom and could affect millions of PlayStation players. At the center of the case are the prices charged on the PlayStation Store, the digital store used to purchase games and downloadable content on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
The class action, filed in 2022, accuses Sony of overcharging for digital games sold on its platform for several years. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, the manufacturer could be forced to pay up to £2 billion to affected consumers.
A major lawsuit against Sony around the PlayStation Store
The trial officially opened on March 10 in the United Kingdom after several years of preparation. This class action was launched by consumer advocate Alex Neill with the support of Milberg London LLP. The case is based on a central accusation: Sony allegedly abused its dominant position in the distribution of digital games on its consoles.
According to the arguments presented in the complaint, the manufacturer would have complete control over the sale of digital games on PlayStation through its official store. The first point put forward thus asserts that “Sony holds a virtual monopoly on the sale of digital games and additional content thanks to its control of the PlayStation Store”.
Accusations of monopoly and excessive prices
The complaint details several practices that allegedly contravene competition law. Legal teams accuse Sony of using its dominant position to impose certain conditions on partners who publish their games on the platform. The document states in particular that “Sony uses this dominant position to impose strict terms and conditions on game developers and publishers.”
According to the plaintiffs, these rules would then allow Sony to directly control the prices displayed on the digital store. The text also specifies that “These terms allow Sony to set the price of digital games and in-game content, and to earn a 30% commission on each purchase of digital games and in-game content made on the PlayStation Store.”
The campaign believes that these practices would have resulted in unjustified prices for players. The argument is summarized as follows: “this results in excessive and unfair prices for consumers for their digital games and the content of those games.” Finally, the complaint adds that “These prices are completely disproportionate to the costs incurred by Sony in providing these services to its customers.”
Up to £122 refunds for some players
If the court rules in favor of consumers, Sony could have to pay around £2 billion in compensation. According to estimates put forward by the initiators of the complaint, around 12.2 million British players could be affected by this refund.
The average amount cited is around £122 per player. This figure could rise to £162 if interest is included in the final calculation. To be potentially eligible, you must have purchased a digital game or downloadable content via the PlayStation Store in the United Kingdom between August 19, 2016 and February 12, 2026.
A verdict expected in the coming months
The trial is expected to continue for approximately ten weeks. During this period, the judges will examine the plaintiffs’ arguments as well as the defense presented by Sony. The outcome of the case remains uncertain, in particular because the 30% commission applied to digital sales is a common practice in the video game industry. Platforms like Steam or Xbox also use a similar model.
Despite this, the opening of the trial marks an important step in this legal battle. Millions of players and industry professionals will closely follow developments. The final decision could be made as early as May.