It could be “game on” for PlayStation users, after Sony agreed to pay $7.85 million as part of a preliminary settlement in a class-action lawsuit over purchases made on the PlayStation Store.
Sony was sued three years ago by users who claimed the company unfairly controlled the market for certain digital PlayStation games and used that control to keep prices higher than they should be. The lawsuit argues that Sony’s practices violated federal antitrust laws and some state competition laws by limiting how and where those games could be sold.
Sony has not admitted wrongdoing, and no court has ruled on the underlying claims, though a federal court in California has given preliminary approval to the settlement. If finalized, eligible users could receive refunds for qualifying purchases.
The settlement covers select PlayStation Store purchases made between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, but only for certain games that used to be sold as store vouchers and saw a price increase of at least 50 cents after they moved to digital-only sales between January 1, 2017, and March 31, 2019. The eight affected titles reportedly include major franchises such as The Last of Us, Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, The Hill reports.
A full list of eligible games is available on the settlement website.
Compensation is expected to be automatically distributed to eligible PlayStation Network accounts, likely in the form of PSN credits. While the total settlement fund is $7.85 million, individual payouts are expected to be modest due to the large number of eligible users. It is not yet clear how much each person will get. Up to 25 percent of the $7.85 million will go to legal fees, taxes and costs, with the rest split among all eligible users.
A final fairness hearing is scheduled for October 15, after which distribution details will be finalized.
Users who do not wish to participate must submit a written request to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, by July 2.
The Independent has contacted Sony for comment.
Meanwhile, a UK class-action lawsuit also claims Sony overcharged millions of PlayStation users by forcing digital game purchases through its own store, thereby limiting competition and driving up prices. Sony denies the accusations and says its system is fair and common in the gaming industry.
