If you buy digital games on your PlayStation, you might soon find a little extra credit sitting in your PSN wallet. Sony has agreed to a $7.85 million class-action settlement to resolve an antitrust lawsuit regarding its digital game pricing, and millions of U.S. gamers are in line for a payout.
Here is everything you need to know about the lawsuit, who qualifies, and how much you can actually expect to get.
What Is the Lawsuit About?
The legal battle dates back to May 2021, when a class-action lawsuit accused Sony of monopolizing the digital game market and overcharging its customers.The issue started in April 2019, when Sony stopped allowing third-party retailers—like Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy—to sell download codes for specific PlayStation games.
Plaintiffs argued that by cutting off outside retailers, Sony eliminated price competition.Without retailers offering discounts or promotions on digital vouchers, gamers were allegedly forced to pay inflated prices on the official PlayStation Store.While Sony denies any wrongdoing and claims its actions didn’t harm consumers, the company agreed to settle the case rather than go to trial.
Who Qualifies for the Settlement?
You don’t need to have bought every game under the sun to qualify. The settlement applies to users who meet the following criteria:
- Location:You must be a U.S. resident.
- Purchase Window:You must have purchased an eligible digital game through the PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023.
- Eligible Games:The game must have had a retail download voucher available before April 2019, had at least 200 voucher redemptions, and seen a price increase of at least 50 cents after Sony ended the vouchers.Some of the covered titles include The Last of Us Remastered, Bloodborne, Until Dawn, and NBA 2K18.
How Much Will You Get?
Don’t expect to fund your next big AAA game purchase with this payout. With an estimated 4.4 million eligible accounts and up to 25% of the $7.85 million fund going toward attorneys’ fees, the remaining pool is relatively small.
Depending on how many qualifying purchases you made, individual payouts are expected to range from $0.91 to $33.66.For most players, it will likely work out to just a couple of dollars.
How to Claim Your Money
The best part of this settlement is that if you have an active PlayStation Network (PSN) account, you don’t have to do anything.Eligible gamers were automatically enrolled, and the funds will be deposited directly into your PSN wallet as store credit.
If you have deactivated your PSN account, you can still claim your share as a cash payment. You’ll need to email your qualifying purchase information to info@PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com.
What’s Next?
The court granted preliminary approval for the settlement earlier this year.A final approval hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2026. Assuming the judge signs off, the funds should be distributed to eligible accounts shortly after.
While it might not be a massive windfall, a few free dollars in your PSN wallet is always a nice surprise. Keep an eye on your account later this year!
