A U.S. federal court has granted preliminary approval to a settlement in a lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment, which accused the company of monopolizing digital game sales on the PlayStation Network.
The case, filed by lead plaintiff Agustin Caccuri, alleged that Sony restricted third-party digital game sales on its platform, limiting competition. As part of the proposed settlement, Sony has agreed to pay approximately $7.8 million to eligible users in the United States.
The settlement applies to customers who purchased certain digital games through PlayStation Network between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. The Northern District of California granted preliminary approval on April 8, 2026, with the announcement made public later in the month.
This case, officially titled Caccuri, et al. v. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC, is separate from other legal actions involving Sony, including the “PlayStation You Owe Us” claim filed in 2022.
The settlement had previously been rejected in July 2025 after the court found it lacked sufficient detail regarding potential compensation for class members. Following revisions, the court has now allowed the agreement to move forward, though final approval is still pending.
A Fairness Hearing has been scheduled for October 15, 2026, where the court will determine whether the settlement is “fair, reasonable, and adequate” before it can be finalized.
The compensation is expected to come in the form of account credits, distributed automatically to eligible users via the email addresses linked to their PlayStation accounts. The settlement primarily covers purchases of game-specific digital vouchers sold through physical retailers such as major retail chains, rather than direct digital purchases made through online storefronts.
A list of eligible titles has been prepared as part of the settlement process, though users will not need to submit claims manually if they qualify.
Further details are expected following the outcome of the Fairness Hearing later this year.
