PlayStation: Sued for £5 billion in the UK over ‘rip-off’ games
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Sony PlayStation is being sued for £5 billion in the UK over claims that it "ripped people off".
The legal challenge is being led by Alex Neill, who is a consumer rights champion - a person who campaigns for better legal protection for people when they buy things, to stop them from being treated unfairly or buying unsafe goods.
Alex's claim says that PlayStation broke competition law, meaning it brought in unfair rules to game makers and sellers, and increased the prices for gamers buying things from their online store.
"The game is up," said Ms Neill. "With this legal action, I am standing up for the millions of UK people who have been unwittingly overcharged."
Sony PlayStation has yet to comment on the legal challenge.
"Unwittingly overcharged"
Alex Neill said that since 2016, people have been "ripped off" by paying extra costs without knowing.
For every digital copy of a game bought on the PlayStation store, or in-game purchase, Sony charged a 30% commission fee.
For example if a game cost £10, it would cost £13 to buy from the online store because of the extra commission fee.
A commission fee, is an extra charge that is added to the total price of something.
This extra cost is added by the company who helps the sale of an item to take place.
For example, PlayStation take a commission fee for helping game-makers to sell games in their online store.
Ms Neill thinks that around nine million gamers have been overcharged by around five billion pounds in the last six years in the UK.
It applies to any customer who has purchased digital games or add-on content on their console or through the PlayStation Store since August 2016.
This means that some gamers could receive between £67 and £562 for their legal claims, to pay them back for the extra money they spent.
However, Alex warned that this could take several years to solve, and that people who might have the right to claim money back, could be left waiting if Sony PlayStation refuses to settle the claim.
This isn't the first time that concerns have been raised over commission fees on digital platforms.
Similar legal challenges have been brought against Apple and Google in other countries.
"Once you are in those Apple or Android operating systems, you're left with no choice but to pay the high costs for content because there is no alternative. We say it's pretty much the same for Sony PlayStation customers," Ms Neill told BBC News.
PlayStation users will automatically have a claim if they:
Owned a console since 19 August 2016
Live in the UK
Purchased digital PlayStation games
Made in-game purchases via the PlayStation Store
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