PlayStation users may be eligible to claim a portion of a proposed settlement that would resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging consumers overpaid for certain digital games.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California in 2023, alleged Sony “unlawfully eliminated competition and monopolized the market” for Sony digital games, causing purchasers to pay inflated prices in violation of antitrust laws. Sony denies the claims, and the court hasn’t determined Sony engaged in any wrongdoing.
A proposed $7,850,000 settlement to resolve the claims has received preliminary approval, and as of Monday, was pending in federal court. A hearing has been scheduled to determine whether the settlement will be approved, how funds will be allocated to class members and whether to grand the Lead Counsel’s request for payment of attorneys’ fees, costs, expenses and service awards.
Who Is Eligible
The settlement class includes PlayStation users who purchased a digital game that a game-specific voucher was available for prior to April 1, 2019 and who later experienced an increase of at least $0.50 after the discount.
A game specific voucher is a code purchased from a third-party retailer that allows a specific game to be downloaded from the PlayStation Network.
A full list of games can be found here.
What to do
- To remain in the class: No action needed
- To exclude yourself: Must submit a written objection by July 2.
- To object to the settlement: Must serve a written objection by July 2
- To speak at the fairness hearing: A written letter of objection and/or a notice of intention to speak with along with a summary statement must be filed with the Court and Lead Counsel by Oct. 1.
