A group of gamers have joined forces to file a class action lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment. Denouncing that the company that owns the PlayStation brand operates a monopoly in which it limits players when it comes to buying digital copies of their games, on other platforms than the official store or PS Store.
In accordance with Bloomberg, the plaintiffs argue that Sony’s ‘monopoly’ on the sale of digital games allows them to price significantly higher than their physical counterparts on the market. Under this directive, some PlayStation users would be paying up to 175% more in a code, than they would pay for the same game on disk.
The reason that according to the lawsuit all the blame falls on Sony, is because the same company has made efforts to block third-party digital sales since 2019. This decision prevents Amazon or Best Buy from selling codes directly from games to PlayStation. As it can be done with Nintendo, for example.
The only option for distributors is to sell prepaid cards that can only be redeemed within the PlayStation Store
In a similar way more unrelated to the Epic v Apple case, this lawsuit appeals to a company accused of anti-consumer marketing, in which it is usually the public who loses to its business decisions. Regardless of who wins in the Epic vs. Apple case and pending the PlayStation case, there will be ramifications for the industry.
Via: Gamasutra