Stop Killing Games has joined a Dutch class action lawsuit accusing Sony of charging an average 47% markup on digital games in the PlayStation Store, a practice the initiative has publicly branded an illegal "Sony tax."

The consumer rights organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument filed the original suit against Sony's gaming division in February 2025. Roughly eighteen months later, the Stop Killing Games campaign — best known for opposing publishers that abandon live-service titles — agreed to formally join the case as a co-plaintiff.

What are the plaintiffs alleging?

The complaint hinges on a study commissioned by Stichting Massaschade & Consument that compared PlayStation Store prices against physical editions of the same titles. Researchers found a 47% average markup on digital copies. Extrapolated across the Dutch market since 2013, plaintiffs estimate Dutch consumers overpaid approximately €435 million in aggregate.

Stop Killing Games endorsed that finding and labeled the markup an illegal "Sony tax," arguing the surcharge is not justified by the savings digital distribution delivers. The plaintiffs are now seeking compensation for affected buyers along with structural changes to Sony's storefront pricing.

Why does the 2028 disc timeline matter?

The case carries extra weight because of a separate Sony policy disclosure the plaintiffs integrated into the amended complaint. Sony will halt production of PlayStation game discs starting in 2028, leaving the PlayStation Store as the only first-party channel for purchasing titles on the company's consoles.

Once physical distribution ends, Stop Killing Games argues, the storefront will function as a monopoly for PlayStation software. That framing aligns with the preservationist core of the initiative, which has historically focused on consumer rights and game preservation rather than retail pricing.

What are the plaintiffs demanding?

The amended complaint asks the court to order Sony to:

• Compensate Dutch consumers who purchased marked-up digital games since 2013
• Establish "fair" pricing in the PlayStation Store going forward
• Foster what plaintiffs describe as "real alternatives" to the proprietary storefront

The third demand is the most unusual. Stop Killing Games has long argued that single-storefront distribution leaves games inaccessible once servers shut down — the exact scenario the initiative's name references.

What changes for studios and platform holders?

For third-party developers and publishers selling through PlayStation, the suit adds pressure on Sony's take rate and pricing discretion. Sony has not publicly responded to the amended complaint at the time of writing.

If the plaintiffs secure a favorable ruling, console partners could see mandated transparency on storefront fees or caps on digital pricing — outcomes that would reshape PlayStation unit economics in Europe. The Dutch legal venue also carries weight: the Netherlands has produced consumer-protection verdicts with cross-border influence before, particularly on App Store and Play Store commissions.

Court dates for the consolidated action have not yet been announced. The next signal worth watching is whether the Dutch court certifies the class and accepts the €435 million aggregate claim figure as a basis for damages.