Gamers Sue Sony - They Believe They Are Being Deceived in PS Store

According to disgruntled customers, Sony did not properly warn them that they were only purchasing a license to the game.

It recently became known about a new class-action lawsuit against Sony. A group of four gamers sued the company, accusing it of violating California state law on digital purchases.

The plaintiffs believe that the phrases “Buy Now” and “Confirm Purchase” used in the PlayStation Store mislead customers. Lawyers in the lawsuit indicated that what is actually being purchased is not a digital version of the game, but only a license:

Lawyers also note that this license is subject to many restrictions, “set forth in a separate software license agreement.”

Although the PlayStation Store does have a notification above the “Confirm Purchase” button (stating that the “purchase” is a license), the plaintiffs believe that the text presented is too small and, in their opinion, a customer who is already completing a purchase simply does not notice this warning.

Gamers are seeking compensation and also demand that the court compel Sony to rectify the violations in the PlayStation Store. They are requesting a jury trial to determine the amount of the payout.

The lawsuit is based on California's “Digital Goods Transparency” law. It came into force last year and obliges companies to directly inform buyers of digital goods – such as games or music – that they are acquiring a license to access, rather than ownership of the item itself.