The Dutch consumer foundation Massaschade & Consument has filed a lawsuit against Sony regarding the prices of games on the PlayStation Store. They claim that Sony is abusing its dominant position in the market to keep prices high, with no competition to lower them.
This is a kind of class action lawsuit based on research conducted by the foundation. The findings revealed that digital games are, on average, 47% more expensive than their physical versions, which they argue is unjustified. This is because the costs of publishing and distribution should be lower for digital copies.
The organization argues that the closed ecosystem of the PlayStation Store, combined with Sony’s dominant position in the console market, results in what they call “artificially high prices.”
Similar Cases in Other Countries
This case is similar to accusations made against Sony in other countries, including the UK and Portugal. Recently, the UK’s Competition Appeal Court gave the green light to a case, so we’ll see how it develops.
Under European competition laws, companies that hold a dominant position in the market have additional responsibilities to ensure fair competition, which brings attention to this case in the Netherlands.
Dutch PlayStation users who have made purchases on the PlayStation Store can join the lawsuit for free. The first hearing is set for the end of the year, and if the lawsuit succeeds, Sony might be forced to open its digital market to other sellers.
