September 29, 2024 – A collective lawsuit targeting Sony, scheduled to commence trial on March 2, 2026, with an estimated duration of eight weeks, has been finalized in the UK. The lawsuit alleges that Sony engaged in unlawful pricing practices for digital content, including add-ons, resulting in excessively high costs.
The case was initiated by Alex Neil, a veteran consumer rights advocate with nearly two decades of experience. Neil, who has long been dedicated to enhancing the rights of British consumers and spoken out on consumer issues across multiple industries, serves as the sole director of the “Alex Neil Collective Representatives,” a special-purpose nonprofit organization established specifically to pursue legal action against Sony.
While the trial date may seem distant, Alex explained that the determination of the date was based on the time required for the exchange of evidence, expert reports, and case preparation, as well as the court’s availability.
The lawsuit involves individuals who owned a Sony PlayStation console and purchased digital PlayStation games or made in-game purchases through the PlayStation Store between August 19, 2016, and August 19, 2022. The plaintiffs contend that PlayStation, with its dominant position in the distribution of digital games and in-game content on its platform, charged excessively high fees to British consumers.
Although Sony has the right to profit from its products, the plaintiffs allege that its actions violated competition laws in the UK and the EU due to its near-monopolistic position in digital game sales. Furthermore, Sony is accused of imposing stringent terms and conditions on game developers and publishers, enabling it to set prices for digital games and collect a 30% commission on each purchase of digital games and in-game content. This has resulted in consumers paying unfair and inflated prices, stifling market competition.
Eligible consumers can register to participate in this collective lawsuit. If the lawsuit is successful, participants may be entitled to compensation. Initially filed in 2022, Sony’s lawyers attempted to dismiss the case, but the court allowed it to proceed. As the number of consumer registrations increases, the claim amount has risen from 6.27billionto7.9 billion.
