These days, just about everything feels too expensive, from eggs to video games. In reality, games might feel pricey, but AAA titles haven’t increased in price all that steeply compared with many other entertainment outlets like a ticket to the movies or a hardcover book. Even so, a Dutch consumer protection foundation is the latest to accuse Sony of artificially inflating the price of digital games on the PS Store. Sony has previously faced lawsuits in the US and UK related to their pricing practices, which leave gamers without other options to buy games for PlayStation consoles.
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Sony does not permit third party retailers like Amazon or GameStop to sell digital versions of their games, despite this being an option for other consoles on the market. That means that they have pretty much no competition when it comes to setting the cost of the games in the PS Store. For many consumers, that’s the issue, as it potentially creates an environment where Sony can set digital game prices however they like. Since there’s no competition, gamers on a PlayStation console don’t have any options. If they want to play that game, they need to pay Sony’s prices. And in a market where many gamers go directly for digital options, it’s possible that gamers don’t even realize they’re paying more for a virtual product.
As reported by Dutch website Tweakers, the latest class action lawsuit alleges that the high price of PlayStation games essentially amounts to a “Sony Tax” on consumers. Specifically, consumer foundation Massaschade & Consument claims that games on the PS Store are up charged by about 47 percent compared with physical versions of the same games. Given that digital copies should incur a lower distribution cost, the suit argues that these are “artificially high prices” resulting from PlayStation’s PS Store model.
Will Sony Allow Third-Party Digital Sales for PlayStation Consoles?
The first court hearing for the class action lawsuit against Sony should take place later this year, and Dutch PlayStation customers are still able to join in free of charge. If the claim goes through, it could mean Sony will have to open up their digital market. That would allow other retailers to sell codes for digital PlayStation games, giving customers more options of where to get games for the console. That said, there’s still a long way to go, as legal challenges like these often spend years in court.
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In late 2024, Sony agreed to settle in response to the similar lawsuit filed in 2023. This proposal is still being reviewed by the courts, but could eventually result in compensation for some US PlayStation customers. While the proposed settlement amount of $7.85 million might seem like a lot, it doesn’t appear to have yet shifted the needle on how PlayStation prices its digital games.
The additional pressure of yet another lawsuit around the same issue might result in changes for PlayStation gamers, especially coupled with continued frustration with Sony related to lengthy network outages. With the Switch 2 on the way, Sony will certainly have renewed console competition, which could force them to re-evaluate practices like these.
Have you noticed the differences in physical and digital PlayStation game costs? Let us know in the comments below!
