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Romania’s Antitrust Regulator Probes Sony

By  |  May 30, 2023

The antitrust authority of Romania has initiated an investigation into a potential violation of competition regulations by Sony’s European subsidiaries with regard to the distribution market of video game consoles.

The Competition Council has stated that Sony may have engaged in anti-competitive practices by selling video game consoles compatible with its PlayStation only through its own online store and by prohibiting other distributors from selling game activation keys for PlayStation-compatible games.

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The Competition Council has received indications that Sony may have engaged in anti-competitive behavior by only selling PlayStation-compatible video game consoles through its own online store and by prohibiting other distributors from selling PlayStation-compatible video games.

The investigation is focused on several European subsidiaries of Sony, including Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited, Sony Interactive Entertainment Network Europe Limited, and Sony Interactive Entertainment Direct Europe Limited.