Sony is accused of charging too high commissions on its video game products, which have become Sony’s leading entertainment company in the UK.
Japanese electronics and video game giant Sony is the subject of a £ 5 billion (€ 5.9 billion) class action lawsuit in the UK for abuse of dominance in software sold on its Playstation.
The complaint was filed on August 19 in the Competition Appeal Court by Alex Neill, managing director of consumer protection site Resolve, on behalf of nearly 9 million Sony PlayStation customers in the UK, after a statement dated Monday on the website dedicated to these causes, “Playstationyouoweu.co.uk”.
The lawsuit accuses Sony and Playstation of violating competition laws and “robbing people” by charging a 30% commission on every digital game or in-game purchase from the Playstation Store.
Overpriced games
“Video games are now the leading form of entertainment in the UK, ahead of TV, video and music […]. Sony stock is costing millions of people who cannot afford to spend, especially when we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis, ”Neill said in the statement.
Sony spokespersons were not immediately available to comment on the complaint.
The video game producer Epic Games, which produces Fortnite, is for its part engaged in a showdown with the American giant Apple, in particular in the United Kingdom, on this question of commissions paid by publishers on each sale. Apple received an order from a US federal judge at the end of November to change the business model of its App Store, but the group has filed an appeal against the decision.