Sony Sued For Overcharging Digital PlayStation Games

Sony is facing legal action from a consumer advocacy organization in the Netherlands that claims the company overcharges for video games. According to the Dutch consumer organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument, Sony allegedly charges almost twice as much for digital PlayStation games as for traditional ones.

Last month, customers in Europe took a stand against Sony's PlayStation Store, which, according to them, is trying to corner the market on digital game sales. Following that, the Dutch consumer group Massaschade & Consument has taken Sony Interactive Entertainment to court. Similar to lawsuits the company has been served in other countries, this is due to the company restricting digital game purchases by third-party sellers and charging "artificially high prices."

This is based on a report from Dutch website Tweakers (translated by VibrantStorm on ResetEra) where the foundation accuses SIE of abusing the market for its digital games. PlayStation games are only downloadable digitally from the PS Store and cannot be purchased as a code from a third-party retailer, something that can be done with games for Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X|S. The research conducted by the foundation has concluded that this has allowed the company to sell digital games on average for 47% higher than its physical counterparts.

"Digital games, according to the foundation's research, cost 47% more on average than their disk-based equivalents, although Sony has cheaper distribution costs," the article written in Japanese is translated. "The group argues that the closed environment of the PlayStation Store combined with Sony's monopoly in the console market results in what it calls "artificially high prices."

"Dutch PlayStation consumers who have already spent money on the PlayStation Store can join the group claim free of charge", the article continues. "The first court hearing is scheduled to take place later this year. If the claim is successful, Sony could be forced to allow other sellers to enter its digital marketplace."

According to the article, the company has also been sued in other countries like Portugal and the United Kingdom. The U.K. Competition Appeals Court sanctioned its case because market dominant companies like Sony must provide equal competition under law. The company has also previously been sued in the United States in the same way. Now the question is: Will Sony finally be forced to allow other sellers to sell digital copies of its games?