Sony facing $7.9 billion mass lawsuit over PlayStation Store prices

Sony facing $7.9 billion mass lawsuit over PlayStation Store prices

Reuters

November 22, 20238:34 AM EST

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Sony (6758.T) must face a mass lawsuit worth up to 6.3 billion pounds ($7.9 billion) over claims the PlayStation maker abused its dominant position leading to unfair prices for customers, a London tribunal ruled on Tuesday.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) was sued last year on behalf of nearly 9 million people in the United Kingdom who had bought digital games or add-on content through Sony's PlayStation Store.

Her lawyers said the aggregate damages estimate of the case was up to 6.3 billion pounds in court filings last month.

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

Inside a GameStop store Sony PS5 gaming consoles are pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S.,

November 12, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

The claim alleges customers have therefore paid higher prices for games and add-on content than they would have done.

Sony's lawyers argued the case was "flawed from start to finish" and said it should be thrown out.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled that Neill's case could continue, though it said people who had made PlayStation Store purchases after the case was filed in 2022 should be removed from the proposed claimant class.

($1 = 0.8025 pound)