PlayStation Gamers Sue Sony Over What ‘Buying’ a Digital Game Really Means

In July, Sony announced it would discontinue the sale of physical PlayStation game discs by 2028. This announcement sparked controversy among gamers, leading to a lawsuit filed in June on behalf of four gamers in California. The plaintiffs claim that Sony deceived customers by not clearly stating that digital game purchases are actually licenses, not ownership of the games.

The lawsuit argues that Sony violated California's AB 2426, which requires digital goods sellers to clearly disclose when consumers are receiving a license instead of ownership. The complaint alleges that terms like "Buy Now" and "Confirm Purchase" on the PlayStation Store misled customers, giving them the impression they were purchasing the games.

Sony's defense states that these terms are merely clarifications of the license agreement and that they are made explicit to the customers. The lawsuit seeks class action status and demands a change in Sony's wording at the point of sale, along with an injunction to stop the alleged deceptive practices. Sony counters that the license is "revocable" and that terms like "own," "purchase," and "sell" do not imply ownership transfer.

The plaintiffs also ask the court to dismiss the case or force individual claims, as Sony's Terms of Service require arbitration for any claims and waive the right to class action lawsuits.