User sues Sony over PlayStation’s ‘digital store’ monopoly

Lawyers claimed that "Sony's 2019 decision to stop PlayStation users from buying third-party download codes is violating antitrust and unfair competition laws".

San Francisco: A Sony Playstation user has sued the company over its alleged digital monopoly, saying that it allows Sony to charge supra-competitive prices for digital PlayStation games, the media reported.

The suit seeking a class-action lawsuit has been filed in a court in California, reports The Verge.

---

Lawyers claimed that “Sony’s 2019 decision to stop PlayStation users from buying third-party download codes is violating antitrust and unfair competition laws”.

Those restrictions established the alleged “monopoly over the sale of digital PlayStation games”.

Sony earlier allowed players to purchase games from GameStop and Amazon.

“Sony’s monopoly allows it to charge supracompetitive prices for digital PlayStation games, which are significantly higher than their physical counterparts sold in a competitive retail market, and significantly higher than they would be in a competitive retail market for digital games,” the lawsuit read.

Sony was yet to react to the lawsuit.

According to Son’y latest earning report, the company made $17 billion in revenue over the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2021, from digital PlayStation games and other content purchased on the PlayStation Network.

The lawsuit against Sony has been filed as Apple and Epic Games continue to fight a legal battle over antitrust violations.

Sony has invested $450 million into the Fortnite and Unreal Engine maker from Epic Games.