The company argued that the broader pricing picture changes once the full console ecosystem is considered.
Gamers in the United Kingdom are watching closely as Sony heads to court in London over a lawsuit worth nearly US$2.7 billion (£2 billion). The case centres on the company’s digital storefront, the PlayStation Store, and allegations that its control over digital distribution on PlayStation consoles led to higher prices for games and add-ons.
The trial is being heard at the Competition Appeal Tribunal and is one of several major competition cases involving major technology companies to go to trial in Britain since the start of 2025. The claim has been brought on behalf of roughly 12.2 million PlayStation users across the United Kingdom.
Claimants argue that Sony abused its dominant position by requiring all digital PlayStation games and in-game purchases to be bought through the PlayStation Store. According to the case, that structure limited competition in the digital marketplace and allowed prices to remain higher than those found for physical copies sold by retailers.
“The PlayStation claim” covers millions of UK PlayStation users from 2016 to 2026
Consumer campaigner Alex Neill, who is leading the action on behalf of affected players, said “Sony have abused that position by charging consumers too much money.”
Neill is representing what is known as The Sony PlayStation claim, which argues that Sony’s control over digital distribution allowed it to charge excessive prices for games and in-game purchases sold through the PlayStation Store. The claim states that PlayStation holds a dominant position in the digital distribution of PlayStation games and related content and alleges that UK customers were unfairly charged too much for digital purchases made through the platform.
Information about the case was shared through a website titled “PlayStation You Owe Us”, which outlined the basis of the claim and explained that players who purchased digital PlayStation games or made in-game purchases through the PlayStation Store between 19 August 2016 and 12 February 2026 could be included in the case and may be eligible for compensation.
The website previously served as a portal where eligible players could choose to opt in or opt out of the claim, though the registration period has since closed. Lawyers involved in the case, including those from Milberg London, say similar legal challenges are also being pursued internationally in Australia, the Netherlands and Portugal.
During proceedings, claimants’ lawyer Robert Palmer told the tribunal that Sony had implemented “a sustained strategy to exclude all actual and potential competition from the digital distribution markets.”
One example raised in the claim involves Assassin’s Creed Shadows. According to the claimants, the game is listed for nearly £70 on the PlayStation Store, which they say is roughly double the price of the physical edition sold at UK retailer Curry's. The lawsuit also argues that Sony charges a 30% commission on digital sales, while PC game distribution platforms that face stronger competition often charge lower fees.
Sony disputes those allegations. In legal submissions shared with AFP, the company said it has “invested years and billions” building an integrated gaming platform that benefits consumers. The company also argues that competitors such as Nintendo and Microsoft operate similar digital storefront models.
Sony’s lawyers say the profitability of the PlayStation ecosystem “is far from excessive.” When the total cost of the console and the game is taken into account, "its digital content is priced at similar levels to that on other platforms and... similar prices to discs," the company said. The company also stated that if prices were not competitive, “consumers and publishers would simply go elsewhere”.
