Those who bought a digital copy of a game through the PlayStation Store may be eligible to receive payments from a class-action lawsuit settlement filed against Sony Interactive Entertainment, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, Caccuri, et al. v. Sony Interactive Entertainment, accused Sony of engaging "in anticompetitive conduct designed to monopolize the PlayStation digital game market, thereby causing consumers to pay more than they otherwise would have paid for certain digital games on the PlayStation Store," according to the lawsuit's website.
The settlement was preliminarily approved in April, but another hearing will take place on Oct. 15 before it is finalized. If it is, Sony will be ordered to pay $7.85 million to settle the claims.
Sony denies violating any laws, but chose to settle to "avoid the further expense and distraction of continued litigation,” according to Reuters.
USA TODAY has contacted Sony for comment but has not received a response.
Here's what to know.
Who is eligible to get a part of the settlement?
Those who purchased a game on the PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2023, that was previously available through game cards known as game-specific vouchers sold by other retailers, like Amazon, Walmart or GameStop, before April 1, 2019, are eligible to receive part of the settlement, according to the lawsuit's official website.
Users' portions of the settlement will be delivered to their PlayStation Network account wallets, according to the lawsuit's website.
Eligible settlement class members who have deactivated their accounts can receive money by contacting the case via one of the following:
- Toll-free number: 877-777-9145
- E-mail: info@PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com
- Mail: PSN Digital Game Settlement, P.O. Box 173046, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217
Members must provide information about qualifying purchases and their current address to receive any money they may be eligible for.
How much money can gamers get?
It is unknown at this time how much individual payouts will be. That is expected to come once the settlement receives final approval.
Why was the class action suit filed?
The lawsuit was filed by three PlayStation users who allege that Sony created a digital monopoly, forcing users to "pay more than they otherwise would have paid for certain digital games on the PlayStation Store."
When will the court approve the settlement?
The court preliminarily approved the class action settlement in April. But on Oct. 15, a fairness hearing will be held to determine whether the settlement is "fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class," according to the lawsuit's website. It will also decide whether a final judgment should be entered and consider comments, objections and other issues brought forward that the court deems necessary.
Separate proposed class action filed against Sony
Searately, a proposed class action lawsuit, Heycock v. Sony Corporation of America, was filed on June 18. It claims that Sony does not make it clear enough that customers are not buying a game when they make a digital purchase through the PlayStation Store, but are instead purchasing a license to play games that can later be revoked, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.
The lawsuit has garnered more attention after Sony announced in July that it would stop producing physical copies of video games for the PlayStation and would instead sell games only in digital formats, beginning in January 2028.
"In response to shifting trends in consumer preference, new games will be released on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only," Sony stated in a news release.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sony agrees to $7.85 million PlayStation settlement. See who qualifies
