Sony Faces Antitrust Actions in Netherlands and Mexico Over Digital Pivot

The consumer group Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) expanded its Fair PlayStation lawsuit against Sony, seeking more than €400 million in damages. Representing approximately 1.7 million PlayStation owners in the Netherlands, the group alleges Sony exploited its market dominance by maintaining artificially high prices in the PlayStation Store and restricting competition from rival digital retailers.

The legal pressure intensified after Sony confirmed it will stop producing physical game discs for new titles in January 2028, transitioning entirely to digital formats. SMC argues this shift eliminates the second-hand market and retail competition, creating a a Sony tax. Sony contends the transition responds to changing consumer habits.

Parallel to the European action, Mexican Federal Representative Iraís Reyes and Senator Luis Donaldo Colosio announced a formal antitrust complaint with the National Antitrust Commission (COFECE). The lawmakers argue that a digital-only strategy violates Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Law by establishing a relative monopoly. They claim the move will harm local retailers and disadvantage players in regions with limited high-speed internet access.