PlayStation users may be eligible for a cut of a $7.85 million class-action lawsuit settlement very soon.
The class-action lawsuit, Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment, alleged that Sony violated anti-trust laws by forcing "consumers to pay more for certain digital games than they otherwise would have paid on the PlayStation Store.” It did so by removing digital vouchers for games from third-party retailers like Amazon or key resellers, meaning if you want a digital copy of a PlayStation game, you must buy it directly from the PlayStation Store.
This move removed the freedom of choice for a lot of players and has only become a hotter topic in recent months, as PlayStation plans to exit the physical media market in 2028. The lawsuit alleges that this decision pushed customers into paying more for games through the PlayStation Store.
Sony denied any wrongdoing and pushed back against claims that members were damaged by its actions. The court also hasn't decided if the company actually violated any laws yet, but it has preliminarily approved a $7.85 million settlement, subject to a final approval hearing on October 15. That hearing will decide how the funds will be distributed, lock in the final sum, and pay out attorney fees. For further updates, you can check out the official settlement website.
To be eligible for a cut of this settlement, you'll need to be a United States citizen who purchased a game from this list between April 1, 2019 and December 31, 2023. If you are elligible, PlayStation will deposit funds into your PSN account at a later date. If you deactivated your PSN, you can request a cash payment by submitting your qualifying purchase history to this email address: info@PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com. It's unclear if you can request a cash payment with an existing PSN account, but if you can, PlayStation users can view their purchase history directly through their account on PlayStation's website if needed.
As is the case with class-action lawsuits, we won't know how much money individuals will get until it starts going out. It could be a few bucks, it could be dozens of dollars. Either way, free money is free money.
In related news, a separate lawsuit has seen PlayStation admitting that players don't own their digital games. This may not come as a shock to some, since the terms of service often use the term "license" in relation to digital games, but it is messy optics as the company tries to navigate backlash from its pivot to an all-digital future.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
