The allocated payment will be released to your PlayStation Network wallet after the final approval hearing.
Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Seton Hall. When Tyler isn’t asking questions or researching his next mission, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey relaxing with a bagel and watching an action movie or playing a new video game. When Tyler isn’t asking questions or researching his next mission, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey relaxing with a bagel and watching an action movie or playing a new video game. You can reach him at tgraham@cnet.com.
Skill Video games, computer hardware, laptops, home energy, home internet
If you are a PlayStation customer residing in the United States, you may be entitled to a portion of the upcoming settlement payment of $7.85 million. The case centered on an allegation that Sony was “unlawfully eliminating competition and monopolizing the market for [its] digital games” by no longer selling game-specific vouchers that allow PlayStation owners to purchase digital games from other online stores.
The Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment class action lawsuit 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 because it forces PlayStation customers to purchase from a single storefront at an inflated price.
Simply put, the lawsuit alleges that Sony limited the sale of digital games in other markets, thereby directing customers to its own PlayStation Store. Some of these games include PlayStation exclusive titleslike The Last of Us, as well as third-party games like 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 (PDF), when the presiding judge said the proposed plan “[did] does not provide an estimate of recovery or a range of potential recovery for class members. » The approval process was restarted in April.
Sony has denied wrongdoing or that members of the settlement class were harmed by its actions, and the court did not decide whether the company violated any laws. Despite this, the court preliminarily approved the $7.85 million settlement payment, subject to the court’s final approval hearing.
The settlement website is now live. The hearing is scheduled to take place on October 15 and aims to confirm the settlement amount, allocate up to 25% of the funds for attorney’s fees and create a plan to distribute the remainder of the money to eligible class members.
If you meet all the criteria to be part of the Sony PlayStation Game Voucher settlement, you are 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.
Players who have deactivated their PlayStation Network account can request settlement payment by sending eligible purchase information to the email address info@PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com. Customers whose accounts are deactivated will receive cash payments instead of PSN account accreditation.
You may opt out of the settlement if you wish to retain your right to sue Sony separately regarding its game voucher sales practices. If you do not send a written request to the court to opt out or object to the settlement by July 2, you will continue to be part of the settlement class.
Who can be part of the Sony PlayStation rules?
Not all PlayStation owners are automatically eligible. The money is reserved for those who purchased a digital game through the PlayStation Store for a period after Sony stopped selling game-specific vouchers for alternative online storefronts.
To join, you must meet the following qualifications:
- Be a human being living in the United States or its territories.
- Have purchased one of the eligible digital games (PDF) via PlayStation Store between April 1, 2019 and December 31, 2023.
Affected individuals are automatically part of the settlement group and will receive their compensation through their PlayStation Network account wallet, subject to approval at the final hearing, the date and time of which may change. Any updates will be posted on the settlement website.
How Much Will Sony PlayStation Settlement Pay?
It is unclear how much each member of the settlement class will receive, although we do know that affected parties will automatically receive compensation in the form of funds in the PlayStation account.
Up to a quarter of the $7.85 million settlement will be used to pay attorney fees, taxes and other administrative costs. The remaining settlement money will be administered equally to each member of the settlement class. Members of the settlement class will likely see a few dollars added to their PlayStation accounts once the funds are fully allocated.
Tyler is a writer for CNET covering laptops and video games. He previously covered mobile devices, home energy products and broadband. He came to CNET straight out of college, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Seton Hall. When Tyler isn’t asking questions or researching his next mission, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey relaxing with a bagel and watching an action movie or playing a new video game. When Tyler isn’t asking questions or researching his next mission, you can find him in his home state of New Jersey relaxing with a bagel and watching an action movie or playing a new video game. You can reach him at tgraham@cnet.com. See full bio
