A $2.7 billion (£1.97 billion) lawsuit against Sony has gone to trial in London, representing approximately 12 million UK PlayStation users. The case accuses Sony of abusing its market dominance by forcing digital game purchases exclusively through the PlayStation Store, allegedly keeping prices artificially higher than physical alternatives. The claim is being heard at the Competition Appeal Tribunal and could result in significant compensation for affected users.

Led by Alex Neill, the lawsuit argues that gamers have overpaid for digital content and deserve refunds. The case value was reduced from an initial $6.7 billion (£5 billion) estimate. This legal battle follows a pattern of UK tech antitrust cases, including a similar class action against Steam cleared for 14 million users last month and Apple's App Store commission ruling in October, which Apple is appealing.

Sony is mounting a vigorous defense, arguing its platform represents years of investment in a competitive market alongside Nintendo and Xbox. The company contends that digital game margins aren't excessive and that the lawsuit ignores Sony's infrastructure costs and platform value. Sony also argues the claimants essentially want third parties to sell on PlayStation while using Sony's infrastructure without compensation.