Sony is facing a lawsuit from a Dutch consumer protection foundation for allegedly inflating the prices of digital games on the PlayStation Store. This legal action follows similar lawsuits in the US and UK, where Sony has faced criticism for its pricing practices. The foundation argues that Sony’s policy of requiring all digital purchases to go through the PlayStation Store eliminates competition and leads to artificially high prices for consumers.
What the Dutch regulator said about Sony
According to a report by Dutch publication Tweakers, research by the Dutch consumer foundation Massaschade & Consument has revealed that digital games are, on average, 47% more expensive than their physical counterparts, despite Sony’s lower distribution costs.The foundation also argued that the closed ecosystem of the PlayStation Store, combined with Sony’s dominant role in the console market, results in what it calls “artificially high prices.”
It’s also important to note that unlike the Microsoft Store or Epic Games Store, PlayStation owners are restricted to buying games and content exclusively through Sony’s store.
Dutch PlayStation users who have made purchases from the PlayStation Store can join the class action free of charge. The first court hearing is expected later this year, and if the claim is successful, Sony may be forced to open its digital market to other providers.
This move would allow other retailers to sell codes for digital PlayStation games and would give customers a wider range of purchasing options. However, it’s important to note that legal challenges like these often take years to resolve.
In 2024, Sony agreed to a settlement in response to a similar lawsuit filed in 2023. This proposal is currently under review by the courts and could eventually result in compensation for some US PlayStation customers.
While the settlement amount of $7.85 million may seem significant, it hasn’t yet influenced the pricing strategy for PlayStation’s digital games.
