Sony faces $7.9 billion class action lawsuit over PlayStation Store prices

LONDON (Reuters) – A London court ruled that Sony Corp (6758.T) should face a class action lawsuit worth up to 6.3 billion pounds ($7.9 billion) over allegations that the PlayStation maker abused its dominant position, leading to prices… Unfair to customers. Tuesday.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) was sued last year on behalf of nearly 9 million people in the UK who purchased digital games or add-on content through Sony’s PlayStation Store.

Alex Neil, a consumer advocate who has worked on previous campaigns, is bringing the case against Sony, which is valued at up to 5 billion pounds ($6.23 billion) plus interest.

Her lawyers said total damage estimates in the case reached £6.3 billion in court filings last month.

It says the company abused its dominant position by requiring that digital games and add-ons be bought and sold only through the PlayStation Store, which charges a 30% commission to developers and publishers.

The prosecution alleges that customers therefore paid higher prices for games and additional content than they otherwise would have otherwise.

Sony’s lawyers said the case was “flawed from beginning to end” and said it should be thrown out.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled that Neal’s case could proceed, although it said that people who made purchases from the PlayStation Store after the case was brought in 2022 should be removed from the proposed class of plaintiffs.

Tuesday’s ruling was “the first step in ensuring consumers get what they deserve,” Neal said in a statement. Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

($1 = 0.8025 pounds)

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