Who makes it · Developer and publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Based in San Mateo, California, United States Founded 1993
Sony Interactive Entertainment is the Sony Group company behind PlayStation consoles, the PlayStation Network and PlayStation Store, and the PlayStation Studios developers. It earns money from console hardware, game sales, its commission on PlayStation Store sales, and PlayStation Plus subscriptions.
Track-record badges
What stands out, worst first
- Privacy penalty
Privacy penalty or breach
UK Information Commissioner's Office fined Sony Computer Entertainment Europe £250,000 in January 2013 over the 2011 PlayStation Network hack; Sony dropped its appeal in July 2013. - Misleading ads
Misleading-marketing action
US FTC, March 2015: final order settling charges of misleading PS Vita ads, with $25 refunds or $50 vouchers for buyers (no admission of liability); Federal Court of Australia, June 2020: A$3.5 million penalty for misrepresenting consumers' refund rights (liability admitted). - Large layoffs
Large layoffs
Announced about 900 job cuts, around 8% of its workforce, in February 2024.
Track record
What's on the record, newest first
- Court case
Brazilian first-instance court ordered R$40 million in loot-box damages, subject to appeal
In public civil actions brought by the child-rights group ANCED, the 1st Children and Youth Court of Brazil's Federal District ordered Sony to pay R$40 million in collective moral damages over loot boxes, according to a technical note from Brazil's Ministry of Justice. The ministry listed Sony with Google, at R$40 million each, among companies that run game distribution platforms and ecosystems; its note does not name the games involved. It is a first-instance ruling: the ministry said the rulings are still subject to appeal, so the case is pending.
Brazil Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Technical Note 55/2026) - Court case
Agreed $7.85 million settlement of US class action over PlayStation Store game sales, pending court approval
Sony agreed to pay $7,850,000, distributed as PlayStation Network credit, to settle Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The suit alleged that Sony's 2019 decision to stop third-party retailers selling game-specific download vouchers raised digital game prices; Sony denies violating any law. A final approval hearing was scheduled for 15 October 2026; no final approval had been published at last check, so the case was still pending.
Court-approved settlement administrator (Caccuri v. Sony Interactive Entertainment) - Other
Took Concord offline two weeks after launch and refunded buyers
Sony stopped selling its paid hero shooter Concord and took it offline on 6 September 2024, two weeks after its 23 August release, offering full refunds to buyers on PS5 and PC. In October 2024 it said the game would not return and closed developer Firewalk Studios along with mobile studio Neon Koi, affecting about 210 jobs.
The Verge - Labour
Announced about 900 job cuts
Sony Interactive Entertainment said it would reduce its global headcount by about 8%, or about 900 people, including staff at its studios, and would close its London Studio.
Sony Interactive Entertainment - Court case
UK tribunal allowed a collective claim over PlayStation Store prices to proceed
The Competition Appeal Tribunal certified an opt-out collective claim brought by consumer campaigner Alex Neill for UK PlayStation users who bought digital games or add-on content from the PlayStation Store from August 2016. The claim alleges Sony abused a dominant position by requiring digital content to be sold through its store and charging a 30% commission. The trial began in London in March 2026; the allegations are disputed by Sony and the claim was still pending, with no judgment published at last check.
Competition Appeal Tribunal - Court case
Ordered by Australian court to pay A$3.5 million for misleading gamers about refund rights
In a case brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Federal Court of Australia ordered Sony Interactive Entertainment Network Europe Limited to pay A$3.5 million in penalties for false or misleading representations about consumers' rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Customer service staff had told consumers seeking refunds for games they believed were faulty that no refund was due once a game was downloaded or 14 days after purchase, and the PlayStation Store terms of service from October 2017 to May 2019 implied that consumer guarantees did not apply to digital games. Sony Europe admitted liability and made joint submissions with the ACCC.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission - Regulator action
Settled US FTC charges over misleading PS Vita ads
The US Federal Trade Commission said Sony Computer Entertainment America's ads for the PS Vita handheld misled buyers about 'cross platform' play with the PS3, remote play of PS3 games and live multiplayer over 3G. Sony settled, neither admitting nor denying liability, and agreed to offer people who bought a PS Vita before 1 June 2012 a $25 cash or credit refund or a $50 voucher for selected games or services. The FTC approved the final order, which bars misleading claims about the features of Sony's handheld consoles, on 31 March 2015.
US Federal Trade Commission - Privacy
UK regulator fined Sony £250,000 over the 2011 PlayStation Network hack
The UK Information Commissioner's Office fined Sony Computer Entertainment Europe £250,000 in January 2013, calling the April 2011 PlayStation Network hack a serious breach of the Data Protection Act. Sony said it disagreed with the decision on the merits but dropped its appeal in July 2013, saying it wanted to protect the confidentiality of its network security.
Engadget
Settlements are often made without an admission of wrongdoing; we say so where it matters. Follow each source for the full detail.
Games in the guide
What Sony Interactive Entertainment made or published
Each game's money rating is its own: it comes from how that game makes money, not from the company's record.
Last checked 2 November 2026. Sources: www.bbc.co.uk, www.bbc.co.uk, www.catribunal.org.uk, www.malaymail.com, sonyinteractive.com, www.nbcnews.com, www.theverge.com, www.theverge.com, www.psndigitalgamessettlement.com, psndigitalgamessettlement.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.ftc.gov, www.ftc.gov, www.ftc.gov, www.accc.gov.au, www.bordermail.com.au, www.engadget.com, www.gov.br. Spotted something wrong or missing? Send a correction.