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Sony Fights £2 Billion London Lawsuit Over PlayStation Store Prices

By  |  March 10, 2026
Sony Hikes PlayStation Prices Amid ‘Challenging’ Climate

Sony is battling a major lawsuit in London worth nearly £2 billion ($2.7 billion) that accuses the PlayStation maker of using its alleged monopoly power to inflate prices for digital games. The case represents one of the latest large-scale consumer claims against a technology company to reach trial in Britain.

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    The lawsuit argues that Sony abused its dominant position by requiring digital games and add-ons for PlayStation consoles to be bought and sold exclusively through its PlayStation Store. According to Reuters, the claim alleges this restriction resulted in higher prices for digital titles compared with physical versions sold elsewhere.

    Sony has rejected the allegations, saying it has spent years and billions of dollars building an integrated gaming ecosystem that benefits players. According to Reuters, the company maintains the gaming market remains competitive, pointing to rivals Nintendo and Microsoft’s Xbox, which also operate similar digital storefront models for their consoles.

    Lawyers representing Sony also argue that the commission the company earns from digital game sales is not excessive. They say the lawsuit overlooks Sony’s operational costs and the value associated with its brand and platform.

    The case is being heard at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) and has been brought on behalf of around 12 million people in the United Kingdom. According to Reuters, it is the third major case against a large technology company to go to trial in Britain since the start of 2025.

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    The claim is being led by consumer advocate Alex Neill, who argues gamers were overcharged for digital purchases. In a statement, Neill said gamers had paid too much and deserved compensation. The lawsuit had previously been valued at up to £5 billion, but the current estimate has been reduced to about £1.97 billion, per to Reuters.

    Neill’s lawyer, Robert Palmer, told the tribunal that Sony can set retail prices for digital content without facing competition from other retailers. According to Reuters, he argued that the system allows Sony to generate monopoly profits from the distribution of digital games on its platform.

    Sony disputes this claim, saying the case effectively argues that third-party companies should be able to set up competing stores on PlayStation consoles while benefiting from Sony’s investments. According to Reuters, the company says such a scenario would allow competitors to “free-ride” on the platform it developed.

    The lawsuit comes amid broader scrutiny of digital marketplaces run by major technology firms. According to Reuters, other legal challenges related to app store practices are still pending in the United Kingdom.

    Last year, the Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled against Apple in a case involving its App Store, though Apple is appealing that decision. According to Reuters, another major trial targeting Google over its app store policies is scheduled to begin in October.

    The upcoming Google case was expected to involve Fortnite developer Epic Games, but the company withdrew its claim after Google announced sweeping changes to its Play Store practices earlier this week, per to Reuters.

    Source: Reuters