Sony is accused of monopoly and overpricing games
Kyiv • UNN
A Dutch organization has filed a class action lawsuit against Sony on behalf of 3 million PlayStation users. The company is accused of inflating prices for digital games by up to 47% due to its monopoly position.
The Dutch consumer protection organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument has filed a class action lawsuit against Sony on behalf of about three million PlayStation users in the Netherlands.
This is reported by DutchNews, UNN.
The statement says that the company is abusing its dominant market position by forcing customers to overpay for games and in-game content. How Sony overcharges The plaintiffs accuse Sony of artificially inflating the cost of digital games on the PlayStation Store. They emphasize that after switching from disk copies to digital sales, the company has effectively eliminated competition in this segment.
Sony sets inflated prices for digital games, abusing its monopoly on the console market
According to the organization, buyers in the PlayStation Store pay up to 47% more than they would in a competitive environment, although Sony's costs for selling digital versions are much lower than for physical disks. At the same time, the company's profits have doubled as it has almost completely abandoned the sale of disk copies.
In the digital content segment, Sony is the only seller that eliminates any form of price competition
The plaintiffs point out that other services, such as the Microsoft Store or the Epic Games Store, work differently.
They are not tied exclusively to a device that controls the majority of the market and have to actively compete for users... Sony is in a unique position where it can make decisions with little regard for competitors, developers, or consumers. It is similar to the situation when you buy a Sony TV set that allows you to watch only those movies and TV shows that were purchased directly from Sony
According to human rights activists, Sony has the right to make money, but consumers also have the right to fair prices. The Stichting Massaschade & Consument demands an end to illegal practices and compensation for customers.
Sony vs. Sony: what could change The first hearing in the case is expected later this year. If the organization wins the case, Sony will have to open the PlayStation digital market to other suppliers.
Similar lawsuits against Sony have already been filed in the UK and Portugal.
Residents of the Netherlands who have purchased goods through the PlayStation Store can register on the organization's website to “get their Sony tax back.” Stichting Massaschade & Consument has already sued Airbnb, ABN AMRO, Google, and TikTok.
Next month, the Dutch Court of Appeal is expected to rule on the case against Airbnb, which the organization accuses of charging double fees for services.
Recall
Sony's president announced successful sales of the PlayStation 5 Prodespite the high price.
