Gaming giant Sony PlayStation is getting sued for £5 billion for anti-consumer practices in the UK

Sony's PlayStation has been a brand that has reached unforeseen heights over the last three decades. As unbelievable as it might sound, they have reportedly been taken to the courts in the UK on some serious charges. More importantly, they are being asked to pay 5 billion GBP for their actions.

PlayStation has had its fair share of controversies as famous as the brand has been. One doesn't have to go back much when the decision to charge $70 for next-generation games caused a lot of hue and cry among the gamers. Sony's practice of charging a fee for an upgrade to the next generation is another decision that has been accepted, but with a grudge.

The chargers that have been leveled against them are a synopsis of all such activities. According to the claimants, PlayStation has overcharged many gamers over the years, and the amount is a justified compensation for that.

---

Sony PlayStation faces a brutal battle in the UK over charges of exploitation and anti-consumer practices

Earlier on August 22, Sky News broke a piece of major news involving the charges brought up by nine people led by consumer rights activist Alex Neill. The charges against Sony PlayStation are along the lines of misuse of power, which they have used to "rip off" the consumers by forcing them to pay more.

Neill has claimed in the complaint that the Japanese giants knew what they were doing as they leveraged their market power. In doing so, the company has charged commissions of up to 30% on every purchase, which is highly unethical.

The legal action states that consumers have been collectively overcharged by nearly 5 billion GBP over the last six years. The individual amounts will be between 67 and 562 pounds, without accounting for interest amounts.

All these charges were filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal on Friday, and anyone who has purchased digital games or additional content between August 19, 2016, and now is entitled to compensation.

Ms. Neill believes that her actions stand for millions of gamers in the UK who Sony PlayStation has exploited.

"With this legal action I am standing up for the millions of UK people who have been unwittingly overcharged. We believe Sony has abused its position and ripped off its customers."

The case is led by Natasha Pearman, who has emphasized the anti-consumer steps taken over the years.

"Sony dominates the digital distribution of PlayStation games and in-game content; it has deployed an anti-competitive strategy which has resulted in excessive prices to customers that are out of all proportion to the costs of Sony providing its services."

Given the gravity and magnitude of the situation, it will be interesting to see how the case develops. There have always been issues related to the pricing and charges sought over additional services by publishers. The company will have to provide hefty compensation if proven guilty in court.