Sony moves to force PlayStation digital purchase lawsuit into arbitration

Sony has filed a motion to compel arbitration in a class action over PlayStation Store's 'buy' and 'purchase' labels. The plaintiffs argue the store fails to disclose that purchases are revocable licenses under California law. Sony contends that reasonable consumers are not misled by the wording.

The dispute centers on whether PlayStation Store's checkout language violates California's AB 2426, which took effect in January 2025. The four plaintiffs made purchases after that date, including NBA 2K25 and Madden NFL 26, and argue the storefront's "buy" and "purchase" wording implies ownership rather than a revocable license.

Sony's motion relies on the arbitration clause in its terms of service, which requires individual arbitration and waives class actions unless users opt out within 30 days. Sony attached three versions of the terms covering the relevant period. The plaintiffs dismissed Sony Corporation of America as a defendant one day before the motion was filed.