A Dutch consumer foundation called Massaschade & Consument has filed a collective lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment, for its high pricing on the PlayStation Store.
The lawsuit claims that the company is restricting digital game purchases from third party retailers and creating “artificially high prices”. In a translated story from Tweakers, the foundation claims that PlayStation titles in the Netherlands cost 47 percent more than their physical counterparts, even though there’s reportedly lower distribution costs there.
Tweakers states, “According to the foundation’s research, digital games cost an average of 47% more than their physical counterparts, despite Sony having lower distribution costs. The organization argues that the closed ecosystem of the PlayStation Store, combined with Sony’s dominant position in the console market, results in what it calls “artificially high prices.” Unlike platforms such as the Microsoft Store or Epic Games Store, PlayStation owners can only purchase games and content through Sony’s own store.”
Massaschade said 8its lawsuit was filed on behalf of over “three million Dutch PlayStation, and demanded that Sony both stop its wrongdoing and compensate for the overpriced tax. The class action lawsuit is open for any Dutch PlayStation users that want to join.
“The Japanese company abuses its dominant position in the console market,” says Massaschade. “Millions of Dutch people have been paying too much for PlayStation games and in-game content for years. […] This monopoly on digital sales, together with PlayStation’s large market share in the console market, leads to a so-called ‘Sony tax.'”
This actually isn’t the first lawsuit filed against Sony for this reason. Players in the United States unsuccessfully sued the company in 20111 for an “unfair monopoly.” Then in 2023, the UK Competition Appeals Court greenlit a case saying companies like Sony must ensure fair competition under law. There’s another similar lawsuit it faces in Portugal right now too.
