Sony Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over High Digital Game Prices: Group Claims ‘Sony Tax’ Increases Costs by 47% Compared to Disc Versions

Sure, here’s the re-written article with a more human touch and a slightly chaotic tone:

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You know, Dutch PlayStation fans are really ticked off right now. They’re all riled up over something they’re calling the ‘Sony tax’. And honestly, who could blame them? It’s like they suddenly woke up to this reality where Sony’s been taking advantage of them for, what, a decade? Anyway — uh, where was I? Ah yes, they’ve banded together in this class action suit against Sony. They’re saying digital versions of games cost, like, 47% more compared to physical discs. Crazy, right?

Apparently, some research (which I didn’t read, but hey, sounds legit) from this Dutch group claims Sony’s been doing a number on them, dominating the console market for years. And they’ve locked out other app stores too. So, surprise surprise, 1.7 million Dutch PlayStation folks are paying more than they should. Like, €435 million more since 2013! That’s a lot of cheese and tulips, just saying.

I guess new PS5 games are pricey wherever you are. I mean, $69.99 in the U.S., ouch! Sony just sets whatever price they want on their digital store. Meanwhile, stores selling game discs are in some kind of price war to grab more buyers. But with digital-only consoles getting popular, this healthy competition is kinda fading away. Maybe it’s intentional… or maybe stuff just got out of hand. Who knows?

Lucia Melcherts (who seems like she’s got some serious bone to pick with Sony) chairs this ‘Fair PlayStation’ campaign. She’s saying gamers are just throwing money at Sony, and what do they get back? Nada. It’s as if Sony slowly cranked up the heat — like that frog in boiling water story. And bam, suddenly, price hikes!

Now, what’s weird is how Sony just hikes prices like they own the joint. Melcherts claims this so-called ‘Sony tax’ happened because Sony’s now in a spot where they can do whatever, barely thinking about rivals or, you know, their customers. When digital games were first a thing, it was all about how costs would go down. But now? It’s more like digital fortresses blocking others out.

Anyway, to wrap this chaos of thoughts up — the ‘Fair PlayStation’ folks say Sony’s got this sweet monopoly deal, making double profits off digital sales with 80% of the Dutch market wrapped around their finger. It’s not great news for developers or publishers either. A legal hearing’s coming up soon-ish in 2025. Those hopeful Dutch are crossing their fingers that the courts will hear them out and make Sony play fair.

And there you have it, a wild ride through the world of PlayStation pricing controversy. Stay tuned and maybe catch Tom’s Hardware for all the juicy updates.