Sony has agreed to pay $7.85 million to settle allegations that it illegally locked PlayStation owners out of buying digital games anywhere but its own store. The lawsuit alleged Sony violated antitrust law by discontinuing game-specific vouchers that allowed digital game purchases through third-party retailers, effectively eliminating competition and leaving the PlayStation Store as the only viable option. Compensation is coming as PSN wallet credit rather than cash, with distribution expected after a final approval hearing in mid-October. US PlayStation customers who bought digital games during the eligible period can file a claim now.

The class-action lawsuit Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment alleged that Sony’s actions caused “consumers to pay more for certain digital games than they otherwise would have paid on the PlayStation Store.” It alleges that this action violates antitrust laws by forcing PlayStation customers to buy from a single storefront at an inflated price.

Put simply, the lawsuit claims that Sony limited the sale of digital games on other marketplaces, funneling customers into its own PlayStation Store. Some of these games include PlayStation exclusives such as The Last of Us, as well as third-party titles like the Mass Effect Trilogy and Resident Evil 4.

The lawsuit was initially settled in 2024, but the settlement was rejected twice during the approval process — most recently in July 2025, when the presiding judge said the proposed plan “[did] not provide an estimated recovery or a range of potential recovery for class members.” The approval process was reinitiated in April.

Sony denied any wrongdoing or that settlement class members were damaged by its actions, and the court has not decided if the company violated any laws. Despite this, the court has preliminarily approved the $7.85 million settlement payment, subject to the court’s final approval hearing.

The settlement website is live now. The hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, and it’s meant to confirm the settlement amount, allocate up to 25% of the funds for attorneys’ fees and create a plan to distribute the remainder to eligible class members.

If you fit all of the criteria to be part of the Sony PlayStation game-voucher settlement, you’re automatically a class member in this lawsuit and will be able to collect a portion of the settlement money — added directly to your PlayStation Network account wallet — sometime after the final approval hearing.

Gamers who have deactivated their PlayStation Network accounts can apply for the settlement payment by sending qualifying purchase information to the email address info@PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com. Customers with deactivated accounts will receive cash payments instead of PSN account accreditation.

The option to opt out of the settlement to retain your right to sue Sony separately in regard to its game-voucher sales practices closed on July 2. A written request to the court opting out of or objecting to the settlement had to be received by then; otherwise, you will remain part of the settlement class.

Who can be part of the Sony PlayStation settlement?

Not every PlayStation owner is automatically eligible. The money is reserved for those who purchased a digital game through the PlayStation Store after Sony ceased selling game-specific vouchers for alternative online storefronts.

In order to join, you must meet the following qualifications:

1. Be a living individual human being in the US or its territories.
2. Have purchased one of the eligible digital games (PDF) through the PlayStation Store between the period of April 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2023.

Affected individuals are automatically part of the settlement class and will receive their compensation through their PlayStation Network account wallet, subject to approval at the final hearing, the date and time of which could change. Any updates will be posted to the settlement website.

How much will the Sony PlayStation settlement pay?

It’s unclear how much each settlement class member will receive, though we know affected parties will automatically receive compensation in the form of PlayStation account funds.

Up to a quarter of the $7.85 million settlement will be used to pay attorneys’ fees, taxes and other administrative costs. The remaining settlement money will be administered equally to every settlement class member. Settlement class members will likely see a couple of dollars added to their PlayStation accounts once the funds are fully allocated.

Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He’s previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he graduated from Seton Hall with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. When Tyler’s not asking questions or doing research for his next assignment, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey, kicking back with a bagel and watching an action flick or playing a new video game.

You can reach him at tgraham@cnet.com.

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