The Dutch consumer rights organization Massaschade & Consument has filed a class action lawsuit against Sony. On behalf of 3 million local gamers, it accused the corporation of monopolizing and inflating game prices in the PlayStation Store.
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Massaschade & Consument reported that it commissioned a study of the price tags of the 100 best-selling games for PlayStation 4 and 5 in the Netherlands. It was found that digital versions of games in the PlayStation Store are on average 47% more expensive than comparable physical versions sold in retail stores. This is despite the fact that selling games in the PlayStation Store reduces costs for Sony—for example, it does not have to spend on disc printing and transportation.
In the lawsuit, advocates pointed out that PlayStation has been the most popular console in the Netherlands for nearly 30 years. PlayStation Store is the only service where one can purchase digital versions of games for it. According to the plaintiffs, Sony has exploited its dominant market position to artificially inflate prices, leading to what is referred to in the country as the "Sony tax."
Massaschade & Consument demands that Sony change its policy and refund the overpaid amounts to Dutch gamers.
This is not the first such lawsuit against Sony. Notably, in 2022, the corporation received a class action lawsuit in the UK amounting to 5 billion pounds sterling.