Sony Interactive Entertainment has agreed to pay $7.85 million to settle a class-action antitrust lawsuit alleging anticompetitive practices related to the restriction of third-party sales of game-specific vouchers for the PlayStation Store.
The settlement, originally reached in late 2024, received preliminary approval from a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in February 2025. It covers purchases made between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, affecting approximately 4.4 million eligible U.S. consumers. Under the terms of the settlement, Sony does not admit wrongdoing.
Lawsuit Allegations
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021 by Saveri Law Firm LLP, alleged that Sony engaged in anticompetitive conduct to monopolize the digital game market for the PlayStation platform. The complaint focused on Sony’s decision to discontinue the sale of game-specific vouchers (GSVs) by third-party retailers in 2019. GSVs—which had been available for purchase from retail outlets between 2006 and 2019—allowed customers to buy digital copies of specific games outside of Sony’s own PlayStation Network (PSN) store.
According to the lawsuit, by banning these third-party vouchers, Sony eliminated competition for digital game sales. Plaintiffs alleged that this forced consumers to purchase digital games exclusively through the PlayStation Store, where Sony could set prices without competition from other retailers. The complaint further asserted that after GSV sales ceased, Sony raised the prices of digital games, resulting in higher costs for consumers.
Settlement Terms and Distribution
- Total Settlement Amount: $7.85 million.
- Form of Compensation: Eligible class members will receive credits deposited directly into their PlayStation Network (PSN) account wallets. No claim form is required for most eligible users.
- Eligibility Criteria: U.S. consumers who purchased specific digital games via the PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. Covered titles include games where GSVs had previously been available at retail, with over 200 voucher redemptions before April 1, 2019, and a price increase of at least 50 cents in relevant periods. Examples include NBA 2K18, FIFA 17, Resident Evil 4, Call of Duty Classic, Destiny, Destiny 2, Nier: Automata, The Last of Us, and Until Dawn.
- Account Status: Credits will be automatically added to active PSN accounts. Users who have deactivated or lost access to their PSN accounts can contact the settlement administrator by August 27, 2026, with proof of purchase and a current address to request an equivalent cash payment.
- Opt-Out Period: Class members may opt out of the settlement by July 2, 2026, to retain the right to pursue individual legal claims.
Legal Process
- Preliminary Approval: Granted by a federal court in February 2025. Previous settlement proposals were rejected by the court before the current structure was approved.
- Final Approval Hearing: Scheduled for October 15, 2026. At this hearing, the court will decide whether to give final approval to the settlement, finalize the allocation plan, and assess attorney's fees.
- Admission of Liability: Sony did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Related Matters
Sony is facing similar legal challenges in other jurisdictions. A class-action lawsuit in the United Kingdom alleges that Sony overcharged consumers for digital downloads, with potential liabilities reported at up to $2.7 billion.