Alright, so I’ve been noodling around with this whole Dutch PlayStation thing. You know, those gamers are really ticked off about something they’re calling the ‘Sony tax’—sounds ominous, right? Anyway, they’ve banded together, ready to take on the giant in a class action suit. Sheesh, just imagining the paperwork gives me a headache. Apparently, these folks say they’re coughing up almost 50% more for digital games than just grabbing a physical disc. Crazy, huh? Pure daylight robbery, if you ask me—though nobody did.
They did some digging, and guess what? Sony’s been running the console show for like a decade. Ten years, can you believe it? And they’re saying there’s no room for any other app stores on their platform. Feels a bit like getting locked in a closet with your least favorite cousin—no escape. They claim 1.7 million Dutchies are overpaying for their digital kicks. Add it all up, and it’s €435 million since 2013. That’s a chunk of change!
Now, wherever you are, shiny new PlayStation 5 games are pricey. Like $70 a pop in the US. Ouch. Sony’s got this digital store on lockdown, while physical games float around with prices slashing lower. But the digital-only consoles are elbowing their way in, and it’s a bit of a mess.
And oh, there’s this Lucia Melcherts person. She’s with some consumer group, throwing shade at Sony for bumping up prices without tossing anything good in return. Feels like they’re slowly cranking up the heat on that boiling frog. Imagine seeing these prices climbing—why’d they get ridiculous in April? Makes you wonder!
Anyway—or maybe the point is—Sony’s bold moves are bold, probably too bold. Digital sales cost less, right? At least that’s what we thought. But they’ve got these walled gardens, only letting certain digital flowers grow. Seems they’ve got this console market sewed up, plastering over 80% of it in the Netherlands. Walls and all.
First court showdown’s coming up. Are we placing bets? They’re hoping the courts yank Sony’s chain, maybe even bust open the store gates for other digital vendors. Let’s see how this epic saga unfolds—grab popcorn?
