Sony SIE faces 6.3 billion pounds worth of user lawsuits over "unfair" game prices in the PSN store

CTOnews.com, November 22 (Xinhua)-- Alex Neill, a consumer rights advocate, is suing Sony SIE, alleging that Sony "abused its dominant position" by charging developers and publishers 30 per cent commissions and price adjustments to PS Plus members, resulting in "unfair customer prices". Therefore, Alex Neill will file a lawsuit worth 6.3 billion pounds (CTOnews.com Note: about 56.448 billion yuan) against Sony SIE.

It is reported that Alex Neill claims that Sony SIE has abused its dominant position, requiring digital games and add-ons to be bought and sold only through the PSN store. Sony charges developers and publishers a 30 per cent commission through the PSN store and manipulates the prices of PS Plus members at will, so customers pay much more for games and add-ons than they should have paid.

However, lawyers for Sony SIE said the case was "flawed from beginning to end" and said it should be dismissed, while the court ruled that the Alex Neill case could continue.

The current court ruling is "the first step in ensuring that consumers recover the money they owe," Alex Neill said in a statement. Sony SIE did not respond.