Sony Faces Lawsuit for Limiting Purchases of Digital Games to PlayStation Store

[Tsing]

Image: Sony



Sony Interactive Entertainment is getting sued for restricting the purchases of PlayStation games to its in-house PlayStation Store. According to the proposed class action suit, the Japanese gaming giant began operating as an unlawful monopoly after its decision to prevent major third-party retailers (e.g., Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart) from selling download codes for PlayStation games around two years ago. In doing so, Sony made its own PlayStation Store the only source for digital PlayStation games, it’s argued.



Sony is operating an unlawful monopoly by restricting purchases of PlayStation games to its inhouse store, consumers claimed in a lawsuit https://t.co/8bPOLhge02— Bloomberg (@business) May 6, 2021



“Sony’s monopoly allows...

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[Brian_B]

Hmm they may have a point now that there is an all-digital console.

I was going to argue that they still sold physical media, but with the digital console… they may have a valid point

 

[Grimlakin]

This would negatively impact Xbox as well. Anyone with a digital only device relegated to a single store. Apple phones, vendors locked Android or other custom phones...

Seems to me like someone wants to create some case law to go after everyone and Sony happens to be the lowest hanging fruit that will mean something.

 

[Brian_B]

This would negatively impact Xbox as well. Anyone with a digital only device relegated to a single store. Apple phones, vendors locked Android or other custom phones...

Seems to me like someone wants to create some case law to go after everyone and Sony happens to be the lowest hanging fruit that will mean something.

That's pretty much exactly why Epic vs Apple is going on right now.

 

[SeymourGore]

In defense of XBox, I'm pretty sure they offer downloadable codes for game purchases through retail (same with Nintendo software), so I don't think their digital only console would be affected by the lawsuit.