Sony PlayStation is facing a class-action lawsuit in London that could seek up to $5.9 billion in damages over allegations of overcharging customers for video games and in-game purchases.
At the heart of the lawsuit are claims that Sony’s role as a major player in the $200 billion global gaming market allowed the company to administer unfair conditions to developers.
As a result, developers allegedly provided customers with “excessive and unfair” pricing.
- The lawsuit was filed at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- It is pending approval by judges as an opt-out collective action.
- The class-action suit could include 8.9 million customers.
Customers eligible for compensation are those in the U.K. who have purchased digital games and content on their PlayStation console through its online store since August 2016.
Sony’s PlayStation Network — which includes the PlayStation Store — has roughly 102 million monthly active users as of June 2022, down from 111 million users in December 2021.
Done Deal
Sony is facing a potential legal hurdle, but will otherwise look to benefit from its recent purchase of Bungie, the original creator of “Halo” and the current developer of “Destiny.”
In July, Sony closed its $3.6 billion deal for Bungie, which will continue to independently develop and publish games but will use Sony to accelerate the development of projects.
