Alright, let’s dive into this, unravel things a bit, and see where it takes us. Dutch gamers, right? They’re not just gaming; they’re on a mission. Imagine storming a virtual castle, only this one’s built by Sony, and it’s about cold, hard cash. The term “Sony tax” — yeah, that’s what they’re calling it. Makes me think, are we in some kind of medieval times where the king imposes whatever taxes he wants?
I mean, seriously, this whole thing got real when they dropped a bombshell class action suit. Monopolistic practices, they say. Big words, huh? But here’s the kicker—they claim digital games are jacking up prices by, like, 47% more than if you just pop into a store and grab a disc. Maybe I just hate waiting on downloads, but I’d rather have the disc in hand, you know?
Then there’s the research. These folks have been digging around, saying Sony’s been playing the monopoly card for over a decade. Ten years! And get this, they’ve supposedly shut out other app stores from their consoles. Feels like when I try to choose something on Netflix and end up watching the same old series because, let’s face it, options matter. Anyway, they say there are about 1.7 million Dutch PlayStation folks paying more than necessary — €435 million more since 2013. Wild, right?
Looking beyond, if you’re in the US, those shiny new PS5 games aren’t cheap either. $69.99? I remember when that could get you pizza and a movie night. And sure, digital games are convenient, but competing with physical game sellers slashing prices left and right? It’s fading, like my New Year’s resolution to not eat junk food.
Lucia Melcherts, she’s a name to know here, waving the banner for the ‘Fair PlayStation’ cause. She talks about how gamers fork over serious cash, only to have Sony pull more out of them without any sweet extras in return. It’s like expecting a surprise party but getting a “Sorry, not today” note instead.
And then there’s the boldness—beyond the usual business shuffle, Sony’s allegedly got this monopoly grip by 2025. Melcherts says Sony doesn’t care about competitors or users, doing its own thing like a DJ at a wedding who only plays his playlist, no requests. But hey, weren’t digital platforms supposed to save money? Guess it doesn’t fly in a walled-garden world.
To top it off, Sony’s supposedly loving that double margin from digital sales—king of a castle with 80% of the market. Not the fairy tale ending we’d hoped for. But the story isn’t over. They’re heading to court soon, directly into the belly of the beast, hoping for change. Who knows? Maybe they’ll crack open Sony’s fortress, and we’ll all benefit from a little more freedom.
And yeah, keep an eye on Tom’s Hardware for more on this and other geeky tales.
