Sony Hit with Class Action Suit Over High Digital Game and DLC Prices — Group Claims ‘Sony Tax’ Causes Digital Versions to Cost ‘47% More’ Than Discs

Sure, here’s a rewritten version of the article:

So, there’s this whole hullabaloo going on with Dutch PlayStation gamers. They’re really miffed, and honestly, who can blame them? They’re on the warpath—or whatever you call it when folks team up to tackle something big—because of what they’ve dubbed the ‘Sony tax’. And, it’s getting serious. Today, they’re launching a class action against Sony, claiming the company’s playing monopoly in digital sales. I mean, get this. They’re saying they have to cough up about 47% more for digital games compared to good old physical discs. It’s like paying extra for fresh air.

Apparently—and here’s where it gets juicy—this Dutch group did some digging and found out Sony’s been flexing its muscle in the console market for like a decade, maybe longer? And yeah, barring other app stores just added fuel to the fire. Nothing like slamming a door shut to keep folks from browsing around. They reckon, and don’t choke on your coffee here, over 1.7 million Dutch gamers have been overpaying. That’s a lot of cheese! About €435 million ($505 million) since 2013, if you can believe that. Wild, right?

Everywhere you turn, PlayStation 5 games feel like they cost an arm and a leg—you know, around $69.99 in the U.S. Sure, Sony’s got the helm in digital pricing, but those physical copies out there… Shops are always in this weird race to the bottom. It’s like they’re trying to see who can survive on the thinnest margins just to bag more sales. But that battle’s vanishing now that digital-only consoles are on the scene.

Anyway—or was it something else I was going to say? Whatever. Lucia Melcherts, she’s the frontwoman for the ‘Fair PlayStation’ campaign while wearing her Stichting Massaschade & Consument hat. And boy, she’s not mincing her words. She makes it sound like Sony is sucking the soul out of gaming, squeezing wallets without giving anything back. It’s like they’ve taken everyone for a ride—you’d think someone would’ve noticed the water warming before the frog boiled, right? But alas, here we are, with prices ticking up last April.

Fast-forward to 2025—yes, the future—and Sony’s really strutting its stuff, if you believe the accusations. They’re reportedly so comfy with their position, they don’t even bother checking their rearview anymore. Compared to the rosy dreams they sold us about cheaper digital content, it’s a bit of a rude awakening. But yeah, when you build forts like they have around their store, competition kinda goes poof.

By the end of their monologue—well, it’s more like a tapestry of frustrations—the campaigners claim Sony is doubling its money on digital sales. Like, all the money. With 80% of the console market wrapped around their finger? Sounds uber monopolistic. Bad for developers too, not just the gamers.

The first court hearing is set for late 2025. Maybe—just maybe—the Dutch courts will make Sony play fair. Imagine being able to buy digital games from multiple stores? Fingers crossed, right?

And hey, if you want to keep up with the latest tidbits or reviews, maybe give Tom’s Hardware a follow on Google News? Trust me, it’s worth a peek every now and then.

There you have it!