Advocacy group Stop Killing Games and game preservationists DoesItPlay have joined Stichting Massaschade & Consument’s Fair PlayStation
collective lawsuit in the Netherlands, backing legal action against Sony over digital pricing control as the company prepares to end physical disc production in January 2028.
The legal pressure mounting against Sony’s digital marketplace has expanded significantly. Stop Killing Games and advocacy group DoesItPlay have formally announced their support for an ongoing class-action lawsuit in the Netherlands, bringing global backing to a legal challenge that accuses the multinational conglomerate of abusing market power through the PlayStation Store.
Stop Killing Games Backs Dutch Class Action Against PlayStation Store
The Dutch non-profit Stichting Massaschade & Consument, which translates to the Mass Damage & Consumer Foundation, filed its Fair PlayStation
collective action lawsuit in early 2025. The litigation mirrors the PlayStation You Owe Us
lawsuit in the United Kingdom, challenging Sony’s exclusive control over digital game sales on its console ecosystem.
“SKG and DoesItPlay? are announcing that we’re backing SM&C’s (Stichting Massaschade & Consument) lawsuit against Sony over its total control of PlayStation Store pricing. We’re putting our full weight behind SM&C’s case, with the Dutch court.”
Stop Killing Games, via official YouTube channel
Stop Killing Games, which describes itself as a decentralized global initiative demanding legal consumer protections against the intentional destruction of video games, stated that the intervention is designed to satisfy strict procedural hurdles in Dutch courts. SM&C has to show the court it actually represents gamers, not just claims to,
the organization stated. Our support backs that up globally. Every Dutch gamer who signs on backs it up directly.
The Shift to an All-Digital Ecosystem in January 2028
The legal challenge has intensified following Sony’s announcement that it will cease production of physical PlayStation media in January 2028, ensuring that all new PS5 games launched from that date onward will be digital-only.
Sony’s data indicates that 8 out of every 10 games sold by the company are already distributed digitally via the PlayStation Store, compared to less than 10% when the PlayStation 4 launched. However, consumer advocates and trade bodies argue that eliminating physical media removes vital ownership rights.
“Playstation’s announcement that major games will no longer be available on disc is a triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice. Every year, millions of gamers still choose to buy physical copies because they value true ownership. A disc can be shared with family, traded in, collected, preserved and, crucially, still played years from now. A download licence often offers none of those freedoms.”
Kim Bayley, CEO of ERA
The UK’s Digital Entertainment and Retail Association noted that its data shows 25% of under-25s use discs for gaming, and the total disc-based games market was valued at over £300million in 2025. A petition urging Sony to reconsider has surpassed 300,000 signatures, alongside social media reports of cancelled PlayStation Plus subscriptions.
Financial Stakes and Digital Profit Margins
Industry analysts point out that the financial incentives for eliminating discs are substantial. Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier calculated that PlayStation receives approximately $45.50 USD from a $70 USD first-party physical game, with the remainder divided between retail margins and manufacturing costs. For digital sales, nearly the entire $70 USD flows directly to Sony’s bottom line.
| Sales Channel | First-Party Revenue Share | Third-Party Revenue Share |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Discs | Approx. 65% (after retail and manufacturing costs) | Licensing fee (approx. 15% for titles like Call of Duty) |
| Digital Storefront | 100% of revenue | 30% cut (approx. $21 on a $70 game) |
Despite the backlash, industry experts suggest Sony is unlikely to reverse course.
Regulatory Response Across Jurisdictions
Regulatory intervention remains limited. Michael McGrath, the European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, stated that companies are free to offer games and services as they see fit, provided consumer rights are protected, confirming that the European Union will not force platform holders to maintain physical media production.
Meanwhile, parallel legal battles continue in North America. A separate class-action lawsuit filed in California by Agustin Caccari alleges that Sony requires publishers to relinquish pricing control on the PlayStation Store and blocks external retailers from selling digital game codes, foreclosing retail price competition. Former PlayStation Senior Vice President Gordon Thornton countered in an interview with Insider Gaming that publishers set their own recommended retail prices under a standard buy/sell supplier model, leaving the merits of the pricing allegations to be decided in court.
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