Sony Faces Class Action Over $200 PS5 Price Hikes and Tariff Refund Windfall
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · May 18
Sony Faces Class Action Over $200 PS5 Price Hikes and Tariff Refund Windfall
6 articles · Updated · Kotaku · May 18
A proposed nationwide class action filed in Northern California accuses Sony of keeping tariff refunds that should go to U.S. PlayStation buyers who paid higher PS5 prices.
The complaint says Sony passed along costs from Trump-era IEEPA tariffs through console price increases, then stood to collect refunds after the tariffs were ruled unlawful.
Plaintiffs cite total price hikes of $150 for the PS5 disc edition, $150 for the digital edition and $200 for the PS5 Pro during the period tied to the tariffs.
U.S. Customs opened a refund portal on April 20, 2026 after the Supreme Court decision, and the suit covers consumers who bought PlayStation consoles from Aug. 1, 2025 to the present.
The case, filed May 6, mirrors a similar class action brought against Nintendo last month and could force any recovered tariff money to be shared with consumers if plaintiffs win.
How can millions of PlayStation buyers prove they are owed a refund from Sony's price hikes?
After Sony and Nintendo, which other major brands could be forced to pay back billions to customers?
When a tariff is refunded, who legally owns the money: the company or the customer?