Sony Is Getting Sued For $7.9 Billion 

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Return policies need to be enforced on Nintendo.

The bigger problem I think is the fact that Sony is using their dominant position to force developers to sign up to whatever terms Sony want, also the fact that Sony does not allow 3rd party sites to sell games, add-ons, subscriptions etc, THOSE two things imo should be the main focus of this lawsuit.

Perfect timing for sony to raise the price of plus just makes it look even better

And this is what happens when everything becomes digitally only. The companies have control of the pricing and developer cuts, and we all lose

That is why phisical media is way better than digital when we talk about movies and console games. You have more rights as an "owner", the games are cheaper way faster and you can resell the games you are not playing anymore. Plus the market has competition with different stores + used games. But people don't care about that anymore and so they suffer by paying more and doing so happily. "We will own nothing and we will be happy about it"

When PS store wants to charge 60$ for a base copy download of DS3 while you can get a new copy of it with BOTH DLC's at Gamestop for less than 20$ there's a problem.

Serves them right for raising the Price on PS Plus and other ant-Consumer moves.

Sony needs to start allowing other retailers to carry their digital game codes again, they stopped doing that a few years ago. That seems like the workaround to this issue.

Sony is getting sued for 7.9 billion and rightfully so.

This is good because Sony fucking deserves it after the PS plus price hikes, but the big question is what's going to happen if Sony loses and has to pay this hefty price tag?

The reason why Sony was named specifically and not MS or Nintendo is because both of them sell game codes to third parties, Humble Bundle sells digital Nintendo switch and Xbox games. Playstation is the only one that doesn't allow for that.

The revenue split isn't that bad. The real issue (and what the lawsuit should have focused on instead) is that Sony doesn't distribute digital codes to retailers anymore. It may not seem useful to go into a store to buy a digital only game, but it at least prevents the storefronts of being a monopoly, and the code can at least be redistributed before it's redeemed. As far as I can tell, the only way to get digital PS5 games secondhand is if the code was originally from a console bundle. No other platform is this strict.

That explains why they raisin all the prices 😂😂 we friggin payin that bill 😂😂

I agree. There is NO WAY that it costs the same to distribute the games/dlc digitally than through standard retail. This is why I have a mile-long wishlist for digital only games, I have to wait for a sale. $80 for a 10 hour game? Nope. Now, if that game was physical and had the "collector" extras like a mini art book, stickers, and a pass, you bet I would get it if I liked the company/IP.

I love how in 2023 literally every company is hated by default, remember the console "wars"

The main basis of the law suit was Sony stopped producing Cards/codes for digital games… Nintendo and Xbox still do and you can easily find digital games on their two platforms for cheaper than RRP on the flip side you can buy Sony Gift Cards cheaper if you know where to look with a VPN… Sony have made the PSN completely closed compare to other two major one

I get charging devs 30% of game sales, but I think what this is really about is getting digital games to be cheaper than physical games as they should be

This problem started 18 years ago at the outset of the 7th generation. The gaming industry has been littered with poor, impracticable console designs, quality control issues, incomplete games, high digital pricing, lazy development, micro transactions, incompetently small hard drives, etc. This is not any one company but a general trend. Year by year, the corporations keep moving away from the average gamer. They don't care in the least.

This will fall through. These companies agree to policy, they are not forced to sell on Playstation, and people are not forced to buy off the store.

In the UK they charge £70 when in the US they charge $70 so it should be £58 pounds in the uk.

Oh you missed an important part here. The reason this is only going for Sony is simple, you can walk into a store and purchase a digital copy of game for steam, Nintendo, and Xbox. You can’t buy PlayStation digital codes any more as they tuck them away. So it’s all about them no longer selling game keys in stores. So having them in stores creates sales that Sony can’t control. That’s what this is about!

Consoles are really just PCs from a hardware perspective. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to buy a digital copy of Red dead redemption from steam, epic, or gog and have it run on my Sony PlayStation. The only way these console makers don't get monopoly is if multiple storefronts are allowed to sell games for specific consoles and have flexibility to set prices. That's how it should be for consoles too. The only reason why I play on PlayStation instead of PC is because the games still have playable version on physical media I can own. Without it I just go PC.

Microsoft/Xbox already has a return policy exactly the same as Steam . They implemented it 3 weeks after Steam started theres.

You forgot that you can go to Gamestop or Amazon and buy codes for digital games there. Sony USED to allow this, but it stopped starting with I think MK9. Or was it MKX?

2023 might honestly be Sony's worst year ever.

You reported this wrong. It's about not allowing 3rd party retailers to sell licenses for digital games for Sony. For example Xbox and Nintendo can sell digital games on Amazon with redeemable codes. Playstation is the only console with no way of purchasing any game outside of their store. This means publishers, mainly 3rd party, are at the mercy of Sony to do sales. This is not good for indie developers cause they can't advertise through 3rd party sellers. It's controlling the market. Sony likes to do this for decades. The did with media formats and now with digital games.

So what many are missing is that this is a problem for sony because they make their digital sales exclusive to their store. If you could buy a digital copy from another retailer and then active the key similar to steam it wouldnt be a problem. The reason Nintendo and Microsoft dont see their day in court is for this reason.

5:14 you allow retailers to sell digital codes Richard

With xbox and switch you can buy the cards from other places with a dl code that works with their stores. Sony doesn't let people do the same thing and that is the biggest difference between them.

Rich, youre literally missing the main point. Microsoft allows devs to sell CD-Keys! Sony NOT! Sony want you to buy games ONLY on PSN. Meanwhile you can buy virtually any game for Xbox on cd-key reseller websites because they (MS) are officially allowing them..

It’s about damn time. We need a proper digital marketplace so that these companies don’t maintain a monopoly.

Microsoft and Nintendo at least allow digital codes in store fronts

Yeh I'm in Scotland and it's ridiculous, if your all digital you get shafted, a game that you can buy physical could be 30 is still 70 on playstation store, also I have always thought if Sony is cutting out the middle man and saving on discs and covers it should also make digital releases a bit cheaper. It's disgusting.

This is a good example of being greedy in life will back fire and also this lawsuit will change how Sony will sell their games and make the prices for games fair as it should be this is a valuable lesson for Sony ones this is over the price for games will be fair and no longer a big issue for consumers so this good for every consumer and yes the UK will win the lawsuit for sure

this is very appropriate.. it needs to be done worldwide.. they should be forced to update prices monthly to keep standard with current market.. theye have like 80 dollar gold editions that are only worth like 20 max.

Oh wow, who could have seen this Sony lawsuit coming? You know, aside from FUCKING EVERYBODY!

Sony consider this karma for your excessive greed recently. if the future is truly all digital, platforms need to be more competitive platforms.

this is truly one of the videos of all time Rich.

Rich should do his own version of "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles

Should have let the employees have horses. 🐴

Physical media is the best for consumer. However we still have people like ReviewTech claiming that game discs are nothing but licenses and links to downloads. This may be true for the Xbox Consoles but PlayStation has for the most part a playable version of the game on the disc. Obviously there are exceptions but the disc is not done yet. There may come a time when it does go away on consoles but then i'll just buy a gaming PC. I won't stay on console and limit myself to only one digital storefront when they've stopped including disc drives.

Microsoft and Nintendo digital CD keys can be purchased from other stores. Sony Keys cannot as you can only buy them from their store meaning they can keep games at £70.00 forever as you cannot get them discounted anywhere else whereas you can with Microsoft and Nintendo. You seem to have missed that point

Hopefully this means digital games will be priced more appropriately. They should not be the same price as physical copies, obviously because the whole physical copy manufacturing process is not taken into account for the price of digital games.

They should be investigated for anti competitive and anti consumer behavior.

if the lawsuit succeeds maybe theyd have to let you install the applications of verified distributors, like the google play store or steam, and then be able to purchase games from those stores

What game is used as background gameplay in the beginnig?

Didn’t say they had this coming from 5 miles away…well, we didn’t…thanks PlayStation plus! 😡 Dig the brief tune interlude though. 😂

Essentially this is finally going in the way of the consumers favor. As a consumer, I’m hesitant on buying digital products do to its very flimsy existence as a consumer owned product, a digital product is more in the ownership of the vendor’s then the consumer, we as the consumer essentially don’t own the product but are buying a promise to be able to play or use the digital product until the vendor’s dictate otherwise. The consumer not having control and ownership of the product should be the first initial qualifier of digital products costing less than the physical product. There’s also the fact that production, product trade, and storage management is not much of a financial concern, digital products do not take up as much physical resources as physical products, it is rare for digital products to actually take up real estate with resources and logistical costs, thus it’s easier to produce digital products, cost effective enough and has a higher turnover in comparison to physical products, this should have always been taken into account in whether digital products are being over priced, thinning the financial markets. I can only hope this is the beginning of government officials looking out for the consumer, but part of me doubts this, as this could put other corporations in the crosshairs, some of which lobby with some of these government representative’s.

They do this in the US too. Games that are 19.99 at Gamestop be 59.99 on the PSN store.

Imagine if the endgame to this is "Any game can be bought for any console". Like, XBox having its games in the PS Store, and vice versa.

Tbh digital games absolutely shouldn't be the same amount as physical ones. There's basically no production costs to put them on the store. To say they aren't even a fiver cheaper really does take the piss really.

They’re still charging Black Ops Zombies DLC full price 🤦🏻‍♂️

So I uses to be a person that thought digital games should be cheaper since there is no packaging or manufacturing, but then I thought about it for a few seconds and realized that the servers and internet required to hold and distribute these games isn't cheap. I don't mind if a digital game is the same price as a physical game, but make them the same price. If I can buy a new game at a store for $20 it should be the same price digital. I also wish Sony would let other retailers sell digital games again, bought a friend a game on PS4 a few years ago and had to buy digital PSN cards so I could give them those codes for them to buy the game.

If this ended the console, I think that’d be a good thing lol

What game is that in the video?

Wish US was like the UK when it comes to greedy corporations!

I feel like this should be taken to Nintendo as well. How many games are gone because the 3ds and Wii shop closed.

With Microsoft, you can buy digital content elsewhere besides Microsoft's store, even in retail locations. Thus, there is competition which can charge less than what Microsoft does in its store. However, with Sony, you can ONLY buy digital content from Sony's store. It is the monopolistic practice of digital content on Sony's part that has gotten them into trouble. So no, Microsoft and Sony are in two different categories for now. Unless, Microsoft does something stupid, and follow Sony and remove its content from other store fronts. But that is less likely as Microsoft is more about the ecosystem and Game Pass, while Sony's strategy is more about software units sold, with the latter strategy becoming more of a losing proposition, and hence why Microsoft opened up its ecosystem to include PC a long time ago.

Rich Tomorrow: The EU has a new law agents $69.99 price tag on Video Games! Video Games must be $49.99 or less! Sony, Microsoft, and even Nintendo has nothing to blame but themselves for being greedy! Let’s get into it!

what game is that playing on your video

Lets not forget Sony only allows cross play if the dev/ publisher pays a HUGE amount of money to them. They have always been anticompetitive.

We was all lied too we was told the digital age would cut out the middle man and give gamers cheaper prices ALL LIES! I saw recent they charging 100 for new fifa or 70 for latest mw game.

This is cause PlayStation do not allow digitalcodes to be sold in shops or online like Amazon or cd keys, this was removed in 2019

Rich loves his digital only talk, we know digital is a rip off in Australia when it’s $30 more then owning a physical copy

Sony is a bit different though with regards to digital sales iirc. They stopped allowing retailers to sell digital games a few years ago. Whereas retailers can still sell digital codes for the competition and they sell them at discounts sometimes.

They dont even calculate currency exchange correctly and overcharge you because to them the USD still has the same value it used to have 3-4 years ago

This is going to be the future when physical media is phased out. No more competition, and no incentive to lower prices.

They are not ripping off the consumer. It's the publishers and even more so, the developers who are being screwed off. If devs took a bigger cut, there would be fewer microtransactions and DLC which would then benefit the consumer.

Solution is never allow them to go full digital

Ok but we ain’t talking about how PlayStation raised PlayStation plus by 25%

They all do that. Every year someone tries to sue them for the store, nothing new

The fact 10 year old digital games are still $59.99 is ridiculous. They want to push digital games they need to catch up with modern times.

7.9 billion dollars is insane.

Honestly the prices on the uk PlayStation store are still cheaper then here in Australia

A majority of the older CoDs and their DLC are still being sold at full price.

The U.K. is like that Bouncer at the club that won't let you in because you have the wrong colored wristband 😂

No Rich. You should be able to buy digital codes for the games from other storefronts. Come on.

Don't forget! Every month even if you switch off the automatically payment on plus, they always switch it back and they charge you without your permission!!

Damn.. the days I thought digital purchases would be cheaper than physical are long gone. I can't believe the UK and EU have such strong customer friendly laws to protect us over here. Thanks guys.

The thing is, the courts need to understand that it's these console's direct, digital storefront. What would the alternatives be?

They really started acting like this when they moved the headquarters to California.

Digital content has no physical manufacturing overheads, so it should have always been a considerably cheaper option.

I don't think that the main focus should be on the idea that these companies don't have 3rd party stores in their stores, but the fact that Sony charges an insane amount for developers to put their games on there.

Can’t they allow for other app stores to be downloaded on the console?

While Sony is being unfair with pricing, bro Nintendo never ever decreases the price of their games. They are just as guilty as Sony is. Also I know you hate Sony, but Xbox has literally lost all sales in Europe.

A price matching policy is the way to go.

They kinda have competition, EA with their membership, but again how good would be for us consumers to have a bunch of stores? I miss the good old days of non-digital games and also no stupid memberships.

They should also add to the lawsuit that they are getting rid of physical games to make digital games cheaper which is actually the complete opposite or the fact that since they don’t preserve there games(being delisted for whatever reason) they should give people at least some type of compensation for it.

They'd just need to allow 3rd party sellers in some way shape or form. Either through websites selling codes or just having 3rd party sellers on the Playstation, Xbox, or Nintendo stores.

Suing Sony because of censorship on Japanese video games should be a way to go. Video games are supposed to be set in fantasy as the characters are fictional and not really people. Sony should have respected Japan's culture.

If you have ever tried to cancel a pre-order on the PlayStation store they obviously make it as difficult as possible. I love PlayStation but tired of being gouged.

I sure hope they raise the subscription fees even more so they can make back that few billion. Essential should be $500 a year, Plus can be $1,000 and platinum $5,000 a year.

I hope they win this lawsuit. I've always said that it's insane that a game that came out 5 years ago or longer still has the same "brand new" price on a digital game when it makes absolutely no sense that the game is neither new or used when it is in digital form. And to make matters worse, you have absolutely NO physical control over your digital products, AND they can be deleted at any time.

Happening in canada to surprised canada is not being talked about this the tax is insane littearly 103 dollars cad for 1 ps5 game

Just came here and more male “private” parts being announced publicly on the internet. 🙄

From what I understood it as, it's more about the actual prices Sony charges over here. I've seen Rich complain about being charged $70 for a game, over here we're charged £70, which according to the current exchange rate is $87.55. When this was filed the exchange rate worked out £70 worked out as $92. Reason they're specifically going after Sony, is because Nintendo doesn't ignore exchange rates, average Nintendo title costs £50 (odd exceptions like Zelda are £60), which works out at about $60 (and $75 respectively). MS has recently starting charging £70 for their releases too, however, if you're subbed to Gamepass, you get a discount on their games so they're sold for £55 instead, but then given all their titles are also permanently on Gamepass you can play them for the cost of that, so I'd assume they're not being sued because there's the different options available?

This is absolutely fair. I hope they lose the case. Digital games on console are a fucking rip off. I can almost always get games physically for faaaaar less.

There was also some story that they manipulated their sales numbers due to overstocking

Just your typical Fortune 500 company behavior. I seriously don’t know why people just go for gaming PCs where you can get games for a way better deal from 3rd party vendors. I’m still kind of a Sony fan though. They made some great headphones, boomboxes, and speakers