Sony is set to pay out millions of dollars following allegations linked to digital game purchases, after a settlement was reached.
‘preliminary settlement agreement’
The PlayStation maker has agreed to a $7.85 million payout to users, after claims it had an unfair grip on the digital console game market.
The case was filed in the San Francisco division of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. It alleges Sony restricted third-party retailers from selling PlayStation game downloads via vouchers, leaving buyers with fewer options.
‘game-specific vouchers’
According to the lawsuit, this reportedly pushed customers into buying titles through the PlayStation Network, allowing Sony to set prices without the usual pressure from competing sellers.
‘violated federal antitrust law and certain state laws’
Sony has denied wrongdoing, and the court has not yet ruled on whether any laws were broken.
Although the settlement is a significant development in a case that has been ongoing since 2024, it still requires final approval. A California judge is expected to consider giving that approval at a hearing in October.
To qualify for a refund, users must have purchased one or more eligible Sony digital games from the PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023.
This includes the following games:
You can find the full list by clicking here
‘in the form of cash-value PlayStation Network (PSN) account credits’
Even if you’re eligible, the amount each person receives may be small. After legal fees are taken into account, the remaining funds would be distributed across what could be millions of PSN accounts — potentially only a few dollars per person, according to Wired.
If you don’t want to take part, you can opt out or formally object by filling out a request here.
The notice also warns that accepting the payout typically means giving up the ability to sue Sony over the same issue in the future. The court is expected to decide at an October hearing whether the settlement will be approved.