Sonyis being investigated under market abuse allegations for its PlayStation store practices. After Xbox has been under the spotlight extensively for fear of potentially stifling competition due to the attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it seems this time it’sSony’s turn to be probed further.
In 2019,Sony announced it will stop selling digital download codesat third-party retailers for the PS4. Then the PS5 was released in late 2020 and Sony’s store practices remained the same. While gamers can still purchase gift cards for the PS store from third-party sellers, it’s not possible to buy digital download codes anymore. The potential issue of Sony being able to control the prices of these games without other retailers being able to offer cheaper options for customers was already discussed at the time, but it didn’t turn into an official investigation until now. Although a lawsuit was filed in 2021 by a group of consumers over this issue, the judge dismissed it, saying the plaintiff failed to prove that Sony chose to sell its products exclusively through its PS store to cut off competition. In August 2022 another lawsuit was filed against Sony in the UK by a consumer rights expert, but the outcome of that antitrust lawsuit is yet unknown.
RELATED:Major Game Developer Dismisses Sony Acquisition Rumors
The Romanian Competition Council released an official statement, which was shared on ResetEra and was digitally translated. It states the Competition Council has launched an investigation into “possible infringement of the competition rules” by Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited and its subsidiaries. The reason for this inquiry is that PlayStation only allows the sale ofPlayStation-compatible games on its own PS Storeand prohibits the sale of said games by third-party retailers. The reason Romania finds this a problem is that it believes it discourages Romanian studios to develop PlayStation compatible games and because the PlayStation brand is preferred by Romanian gamers.
According to public information, there are approximately 1.3 million gamers and 127 video game studios in Romania that could be affected by Sony’s decision. The statement also explains the Competition Council has already carried out inspections at theEuropean headquarters of Sonyto gather further information and evidence.
Whether the 2022 antitrust class-action lawsuit in the UK or the Romanian Competition Council investigation will yield a harsh sentence against Sony remains to be seen. However, theUK was very strict in its rules when dealing with Xbox, so it’s possible Sony is facing difficult times in the coming months for its PS store practices from various fronts.
