Sony to Pay $7.85 Million to PlayStation Owners in the U.S. for Market Monopolization

Sony Interactive Entertainment has agreed to allocate $7.85 million in compensation to PlayStation owners in the U.S. as part of a class-action lawsuit settlement. The case involved the discontinuation of game vouchers, which allowed users to purchase digital games from third-party stores. The plaintiff argued that this violated antitrust laws, as users were forced to buy content solely from the PlayStation Store at higher prices.

The funds will be distributed among lawsuit participants who purchased games from the PlayStation Store between April 2019 and December 2023. Compensation will be credited to gaming accounts in the form of in-game currency. However, up to 25% of the total amount will cover legal fees and administrative costs. The exact payout per user has not been disclosed, but it is expected to amount to a few dollars.

The final approval of the settlement will take place at a hearing on October 15. Users who do not wish to participate in the settlement can opt out by July 2, retaining the right to file a separate lawsuit. Sony denies any wrongdoing, but the court has preliminarily approved the settlement terms.