PlayStation® 3

November 2017: A federal judge granted preliminary approval of a new settlement agreement. According to the revised terms, Sony agreed to pay class members $65 for each valid claim. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for May 29, 2018.

January 2017: A federal judge denied final approval of the settlement finding that the claims rate was low and there was no evidence showing that the settlement fairly and adequately compensated the number of people who were injured. The Court also concluded that there was not enough information to determine whether the attorneys’ fees request was reasonable.

September 2016: A federal judge preliminarily approved the settlement. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for January 24, 2017.

June 2016: Plaintiffs moved for preliminary approval of a settlement of this lawsuit. According to the terms of the proposed settlement, Sony agreed to pay:

• $55 to class members who provide proof that they purchased a Fat PS3 and used the Other OS function after installing a Linux operating system and
• $9 to class members who provide proof that they purchased a Fat PS3 and either relied upon the Other OS function when making the purchase or were somehow injured as a result of an April 2010 Firmware Update.

(In re Sony PS3 “Other OS” Litigation, Case No. 10-cv-1811, N. D. CA.)

January 2014: The Ninth Circuit revived false advertising claims made against Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. in a class-action lawsuit that was previously dismissed by a California district court. The plaintiffs originally claimed, among other things, that Sony deceptively advertised the features of the PlayStation 3, which was introduced in 2006, as having a 10-year lifespan when, according to plaintiffs, an April 2010 update removed the advertised features. The appellate court has allowed the plaintiffs to move forward on this claim, finding that the plaintiffs alleged enough facts in their complaint. (In Re Sony PS3 “Other OS” Litigation, Case No. 11-18066, 9th Cir.).

For more information about other class-action lawsuits filed against Sony and TINA.org’s coverage of the company, click here.