The class-action lawsuit in California concerns events in 2025, when new import duties were introduced in the US based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. At that time, Sony raised PS5 prices, explaining the decision by a "difficult economic situation."
Later, the US Supreme Court ruled that the president did not have the right to impose such tariffs in that form, and affected companies were entitled to compensation.
According to the plaintiffs, Sony first passed additional costs on to consumers and then had the opportunity to reclaim money from the government. The lawsuit calls this "significant unfair profit at the expense of buyers."
A similar lawsuit was previously filed against Nintendo. Amazon also faced similar claims. Sony, in recent months, has been increasingly criticized for rising prices of PlayStation devices and services.