Sony has reached a preliminary $7.85 million settlement in Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment, a class-action lawsuit accusing it of eliminating competition in digital game sales by discontinuing vouchers that let PlayStation users buy games from other retailers. The case claims this forced customers to overpay by shopping only through the PlayStation Store. A final court hearing is set for Oct. 15 to approve the payout and distribution plan, though Sony denies any wrongdoing.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-16
Sony plans to resolve a Sherman Act class action by depositing PlayStation Store credit directly into eligible US PSN accounts, with no claim form required. Accounts that bought qualifying digital games between April 1, 2019 and December 31, 2023 were automatically enrolled, but payouts await final approval from a federal judge at an October fairness hearing.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-13
Sony has received preliminary court approval for a $7.85 million settlement in the Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment class-action lawsuit, which accused the company of monopolizing digital game sales by killing off vouchers that let PlayStation owners buy games from rival retailers. Eligible US PlayStation customers can now file claims through a live settlement website ahead of a final approval hearing set for Oct. 15.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-13
A community-run project on the Consumer Rights Wiki has assembled at least 44 documented examples—out of hundreds noted overall—where Sony's own PlayStation Store pages and marketing materials describe digital PS4 and PS5 games as something customers 'own.' The compilation directly counters Sony's argument in an ongoing lawsuit that no reasonable consumer would believe clicking 'Purchase' grants true ownership rather than a revocable license.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-12
Four California consumers filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment in federal court, claiming the PlayStation Store misleads shoppers by using ownership terms like 'Buy Now' and 'Confirm Purchase' for digital games that are actually only licensed, revocable access. They say the license disclaimer appears in small, unhighlighted text that fails to meet California's disclosure requirements for digital goods. Sony has since asked the court to force individual arbitration or dismiss the case, arguing no reasonable consumer would think they truly own a digital game.
consumerrights.wiki
· 2026-09-10
The RIAA reported that US recorded music revenue rose 6.9% in H1 2026 versus H1 2025, with physical formats up 25.9%—vinyl grew 17.7% and CDs jumped 58.6%. Streaming still dominates overall revenue at $4.9 billion, but the outsized physical growth stands out amid rising anger over digital ownership issues.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-07
A proposed $7.85 million settlement in Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment has won preliminary court approval after being rejected twice, most recently in July 2025 over unclear recovery estimates. The suit accused Sony of monopolizing digital game sales by ending game-specific vouchers that once let PlayStation owners buy titles from rival retailers, forcing them toward the PlayStation Store. Sony denies wrongdoing, and no court has ruled it broke any law, but a final approval hearing is set for Oct. 15.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-01
Following its announcement that PlayStation disc production ends in January 2028, Sony sent customers copies of its Terms of Service and End User License Agreement, which state that PlayStation software is licensed rather than sold. The emails, likely routine notices tied to recent PlayStation Store purchases, arrived amid ongoing backlash over the discontinuation of physical media and a planned consumer boycott running August 23-30.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-25