Monopoly
Ongoing coverage on Monopoly.
Latest coverage
Sony To Pay Out Nearly $8 Million In Class-Action Settlement Over Game Prices
Sony is set to pay out nearly $8 million to PlayStation customers as part of a settlement concerning digital game prices on the PlayStation Store. The lawsuit alleged Sony maintained a monopoly over prices by controlling publisher pricing and eliminating competition from third-party retailers selling digital codes. Sony is not admitting wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
"Steam is a monopoly with very few precedents," says dev of game inexplicably flagged as adult-only by Valve: "As a developer, I'm completely at their whim"
The creator of the game Future? No Thanks! has criticized Valve's Steam platform, calling it a monopoly with opaque rules that leave developers at its mercy. The game was repeatedly flagged as adult-only without clear reasoning, despite containing mature themes rather than explicit content. This situation highlights ongoing concerns about Valve's content moderation policies and its dominant position in the PC gaming market.
Stop Killing Games joins Dutch lawsuit against PlayStation's 'Sony tax' on digital games
Consumer group Stop Killing Games has joined a lawsuit in the Netherlands against Sony, accusing the company of overcharging for digital PlayStation games and creating a monopoly. The lawsuit, supported by Stichting Massaschade & Consument, seeks fair pricing and a refund of the alleged 'Sony Tax' for consumers. This action comes as Sony plans to discontinue physical game sales in 2028.
Stop Killing Games has joined a lawsuit against Sony's move to digital-only sales: 'You won't have any…
The consumer group Stichting Massaschade & Consument, supported by Stop Killing Games, is suing Sony over its move towards digital-only game sales. They argue that eliminating physical discs by 2028 will create a monopoly for Sony, allowing them to dictate game prices and usage rights, removing the second-hand market and alternative purchasing options.
Stop Killing Games backs Dutch consumer rights lawsuit against Sony's PlayStation digital store "monopoly"
Stop Killing Games has joined a lawsuit in the Netherlands against Sony, alleging a monopoly on digital game sales through the PlayStation Store. The lawsuit, filed by Stichting Massaschade & Consument on behalf of 1.7 million Dutch users, argues that Sony's exclusive control over its digital storefront is unfair, especially with the phasing out of physical discs. This situation is contrasted with the PC market, which benefits from multiple competing digital storefronts.
Stop Killing Games join lawsuit against the PlayStation Store's "Sony Tax," in latest venture beyond game preservation
Game preservation advocates Stop Killing Games have joined a Dutch lawsuit against Sony and the PlayStation Store, alleging monopolistic practices and an illegal "Sony Tax" on digital games. The group is also involved in broader consumer advocacy efforts, including opposing VPN bans and social media age verification plans.
"It's time to sue Sony": Stop Killing Games joins lawsuit over PlayStation's digital "monopoly" amid death of physical games
Stop Killing Games and DoesItPlay? are supporting a lawsuit in the Netherlands against Sony's alleged digital game sales monopoly on PlayStation. The lawsuit, spearheaded by Stichting Massaschade & Consument, argues that Sony's control over digital sales and the impending end of physical game sales in 2028 will lead to inflated prices and limit consumer choice. This legal action highlights growing concerns about digital consumer rights in the gaming industry.
Data analysis suggests that Steam has made $11B in the first half of this year already
Data analysis from Alinea Analytics suggests Valve's Steam platform has generated $11.1 billion in revenue in the first half of the year, a 14.5% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth is attributed to a surge in players in China, successful co-op releases, publishers returning to Steam, and increased sales of both new and back catalogue games. However, the analysis also warns that this growth may exacerbate discoverability issues for smaller studios and new intellectual property.
The RAM Crisis Is One Big Price-Fixing Monopoly, New Lawsuit Claims
A new class-action lawsuit has accused Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix of colluding to fix prices for consumer RAM and storage, creating a monopoly. The lawsuit claims the manufacturers simultaneously shifted production away from consumer-grade DDR3 and DDR4 to focus on High-Bandwidth Memory for AI data centers, orchestrating a supply constraint. This alleged price-fixing has impacted the cost of PC and gaming hardware, leading to price increases across various platforms.
New Valve lawsuit wants to pay $150 compensation to Dutch PC gamers for Steam monopoly
A Dutch non-profit group, Consumer Competition Claims, has filed a lawsuit against Valve, alleging that Steam's market monopoly has caused Dutch PC gamers to overpay by over €220 million. The lawsuit seeks compensation for damages, estimating that individual gamers could receive over €130. Similar legal actions are ongoing in the US and UK, focusing on Valve's alleged practice of enforcing 'Platform Parity Obligations' that prevent games from being sold cheaper outside of Steam.
Valve's Gabe Newell argued gamers "have enormous choice" when grilled over Steam's alleged monopoly…
Valve boss Gabe Newell testified in a lawsuit alleging the company holds an illegal monopoly on PC gaming, denying claims that Valve dictates pricing on other platforms or punishes developers for offering discounts elsewhere. Newell argued that gamers have "enormous choice" in where they purchase games, citing Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and direct developer sales as examples.
Federal jury finds concert business Live Nation is a monopoly
A federal jury has determined that Live Nation, which operates the Ticketmaster platform, is a monopoly and has violated antitrust rules. The ruling's practical implications, including potential remedies like the sale of Ticketmaster and monetary damages, are still to be determined by the judge. The Department of Justice and state attorneys general had sued Live Nation on monopoly claims, with a separate case also being waged by the Federal Trade Commission.
£2 billion PlayStation lawsuit over unfair store pricing goes to trial
A £2 billion lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment over alleged unfair pricing on the PlayStation Store has gone to trial in the UK. Consumer champion Alex Neill is spearheading the case, accusing Sony of breaching competition law and abusing a monopoly on digital game sales since 2016. If successful, Sony could be ordered to pay £2 billion in damages to affected customers.
