PlayStation users in the UK could be collectively awarded billions in compensation for 'excessive and unfair' PlayStation Store charges in class-action lawsuit against Sony

• A lawsuit against Sony for "unfair" charges on the PlayStation Store has begun
• It accuses Sony of “exploiting" UK customers by charging higher prices on its store
• Around 12.2 million PlayStation users in the UK could be compensated for any purchases, amounting to around £2 billion total if the case is won

A class-action lawsuit filed against Sony could mean millions of UK PlayStation users are entitled to a collective £2 billion in compensation for alleged unfair charges made on the PlayStation Store.

As reported by Sky, the case, which has been branded 'PlayStation You Owe Us', was filed in 2022 by consumer campaigner Alex Neill, who accuses Sony of “exploiting its UK customers, by charging them too much” for the sale of digital games and in-game content.

The lawsuit also claims that Sony broke competition law through its control of the PlayStation Store, and argues that "Sony has a near monopoly on the sale of digital games and add-on content".

Since game developers are charged a 30% commission for selling their games on the PlayStation Store, and Sony sets the price of games, Neill alleges the cost is "excessive and unfair" and 20% more than physical editions.

"The result is that Sony can and does set the retail prices of all such content itself without facing any retail competition for digital content," said Robert Palmer KC, on behalf of the claimant. "It allows it to obtain monopoly profits from digital distribution, setting retail prices at what it refers to as its target margin of an excessive and unfair 30% above the level of the digital wholesale prices."

He also added that players are inclined to purchase digital games from the PlayStation Store, since only three of Sony's current consoles contain a disk drive.

If Neill wins the case, an estimated 12.2 million PlayStation users in the UK could be compensated for any purchases "over a period of about" 10 years (specifically between August 2016 and February 2026), amounting to around £2 billion total, and £162 each.

Users will automatically be included in any judgment on an "opt-out" basis.

Sony has argued against the claims, saying that its distribution model is justified because allowing third-party stores for downloads would introduce security and privacy risks.

The trial began on Tuesday, March 10, and is expected to last around nine weeks before a verdict is made.

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