Users who purchased digital titles via the PlayStation Store between April 2019 and December 2023 might soon see store credit added to their accounts. A San Francisco federal judge has given preliminary approval to a $7.85 million settlement in a class action lawsuit that alleged Sony monopolized the digital game market and stifled competition through the PlayStation Store.
First filed in May 2021, the suit contends that Sony’s alleged anti-competitive practices forced players to “pay more than they otherwise would have paid for certain digital games.” This legal challenge follows Sony’s removal of “game-specific vouchers” from third-party sellers in April 2019, which the lawsuit claims could have offered lower prices via alternative retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, and others.
The law firm handling the case has published a list of eligible games, including The Last of Us, NBA 2K18, and Need for Speed Rivals, and noted over 4.4 million eligible PlayStation Network accounts. Qualified individuals will receive PSN account credits once final court approval is granted. A Fairness Hearing is scheduled for October 15 to finalize the judgment and distribution plan.
Importantly, this case is distinct from a separate class action in the UK, which accuses Sony of “unfairly charging its UK customers too much for digital games and in-game content purchased through the PlayStation Store.” In contrast to this settlement, Sony faces potential payouts of up to $2.7 billion to UK residents due to alleged antitrust violations.