[1/2]Sony PS5 game consoles inside a GameStop store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 12, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo Obtain Licensing Rights
LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Sony ( 6758.T ) faces a massive lawsuit worth up to 6.3 billion pounds ($7.9 billion) over allegations that the PlayStation maker abused its dominant position to create unfair prices for customers. Tuesday.
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has been sued on behalf of nearly 9 million people in the UK who bought digital games or additional content through Sony’s PlayStation Store last year.
Alex Neill, a consumer advocate who worked on previous campaigns, is estimated to have a £5 billion ($6.23 billion) interest against Sony.
His lawyers said in court papers last month that the total damage estimate in the case was up to £6.3bn.
He says the company abused its dominant position by requiring digital games and add-ons to be bought and sold only through the PlayStation Store, which takes a 30% commission from developers and publishers.
The lawsuit alleges that customers paid higher prices for games and add-ons because of it.
Sony’s lawyers argued that the case was “flawed from start to finish” and should be thrown out.
The Competition Appeal Court ruled that Neill’s case could proceed, although it said that people who made PlayStation Store purchases after the case was filed in 2022 should be excluded from the proposed class of claimants.
In a statement, Neill said Tuesday’s decision was “the first step in ensuring consumers get their debt back.” Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
($1 = 0.8025 pounds)
Reporting by Sam Tobin; Edited by Aurora Ellis and Jonathan Oatis
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