A class action lawsuit against Sony was filed in the Netherlands due to inflated prices for games in the PlayStation Store
The Dutch consumer organisation Massaschade Consument has filed a class action lawsuit against Sony, accusing the company of overcharging for PlayStation digital games.
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The organisation claims that digital versions of games in the Netherlands cost 47% more than their physical counterparts, despite lower distribution costs in the region. In 2019, Sony stopped allowing third-party retailers to sell codes for digital games, leaving players with the option to buy games only directly through the PS Store.
"The Japanese company is abusing its dominant position in the console market," said Massaschade. "Millions of Dutch people have been overpaying for years for PlayStation games and content. This monopoly on digital sales, together with PlayStation's large share of the console market, results in the so-called 'Sony tax'."
Massaschade filed the lawsuit on behalf of "more than three million Dutch PlayStation players" and demanded that Sony "cease its unlawful practices and compensate the amounts overpaid".
This is not the first time Sony has faced criticism for its alleged monopoly on its digital store. In 2021, US players unsuccessfully filed a lawsuit against the company, and in 2023, a consumer advocate in the UK filed a separate lawsuit. Massaschade's statement mentions the British lawsuit, claiming that Sony's actions "violate Dutch and European competition rules".
The organisation's chairman Lucia Melchers added that Sony is forcing developers to "accept the terms it imposes on them, including the price at which their games are displayed". She stressed that PlayStation players continue to pay top prices even for old games.
Massaschade called on Dutch players affected by Sony's actions to register for its Fair PlayStation campaign. The first court hearing is expected later this year.
Source: Gamedeveloper
