The PlayStation 5 has been one of the hottest commodities over the past two years. It’s been flying off the shelves and selling out in seconds online. Let’s not forget that it was the number one gift to get in the holidays of both 2020 and 2021. But with that console comes a hefty price tag. One that Sony may now pay for now.
According to Sky News, Sony is now being sued for over £5 billion in the UK for “ripping off” their customers. The reason behind this lawsuit being that many consumers feel that Sony is overcharging them on the PlayStation Store. Prices are much too high, and they feel as if Sony is taking advantage of the fact that they are a primary source for PlayStation games. Consumer champion Alex Neill leads this legal battle, claiming that Sony's terms and conditions put on game developers and publishers are unfair and, in turn, cause game prices to go up. Sony takes up to 30% of commission when a purchase is made from the PlayStation store.
“With this legal action, I am standing up for the millions of UK people who have been unwittingly overcharged," said Neill. "We believe Sony has abused its position and ripped off its customers,” stated by Neill.
PlayStation is known for being one of the more dominant consoles on the market, and the claim is that Sony is abusing that power every chance they get. The company is being accused of breaching competition law, which is meant to regulate market competition to ensure that companies are fair to both opposing companies and their customers. Neill also went on to say, “…The actions of Sony is costing millions of people who can't afford it, particularly when we're in the midst of a cost of living crisis and the consumer purse is being squeezed like never before,” per IGN.
There are many on social media stating that they are in favor of this lawsuit, hoping that Sony gets some kind of flack for the unjust prices on the PlayStation Store. “So you overcharge us for GAMES, you overcharge us for CONSOLES, you continue to block cross-progression. Nope, Sony is irredeemable. Actual scum of the earth. I hope they lose that damn lawsuit.”
Just days after the lawsuit was covered in the media, it was announced that Sony was increasing the price of their PS5s around the globe.
Edited By: Chanelle Jassim
