Stop Killing Games and game-preservation group DoesItPlay are supporting a collective lawsuit against Sony in the Netherlands. The case argues that PlayStation owners face a so-called “Sony Tax” because games are sold digitally through Sony’s PlayStation Store rather than competing storefronts.
Stop Killing Games describes itself as “a decentralised global initiative demanding legal consumer protections against the intentional destruction of video games”. Stichting Massaschade & Consument, commonly shortened to SM&C, is bringing the action on behalf of affected consumers.
Preservation advocates join the Fair PlayStation case
The partnership was announced on X and on the SKG YouTube channel.
Stop Killing Games and DoesItPlay said they are putting their full support behind SM&C’s case in the Dutch courts. Their involvement is intended to demonstrate international backing and help show that SM&C represents gamers rather than merely making that claim.
The campaign also encouraged Dutch players to sign up to the action, with each participating gamer providing direct support for the collective case. DoesItPlay has shared the collaboration through its official account.
What the lawsuit alleges
SM&C launched its collective action against Sony in early 2025. Similar to the “PlayStation You Owe Us” case in the United Kingdom, the Dutch lawsuit alleges that Sony has abused its power in the digital game-sales market through its control of the PlayStation Store.
The argument has gained further attention following Sony’s announcement that it will stop producing physical PlayStation media in January 2028. SM&C says that restricting digital purchases to Sony’s own closed ecosystem could make the company’s position even stronger.
On its official website, SM&C argues that Sony would gain greater control over the sale, pricing and terms attached to new PlayStation games. The organisation also says that reduced access to physical releases could contribute to the disappearance of the second-hand video-game market. Its response is available in the organisation’s published statement.
Why this matters for game ownership
The dispute centres on the difference between buying a physical game and obtaining a digital licence inside a platform-controlled store. For preservation advocates, concerns about pricing and access are closely connected to the longer-term question of whether players can continue using games when storefronts, servers or distribution agreements change.
Those issues also matter to arcade enthusiasts who value durable, locally controlled collections. RETROCADE’s arcade industry coverage explores related developments, while readers considering a dedicated setup can compare arcade machines, arcade parts and the arcade machine buying guide.
The Dutch proceedings will determine how the claims are assessed. For now, the backing from Stop Killing Games and DoesItPlay adds a prominent preservation and consumer-rights dimension to the challenge over Sony’s control of PlayStation digital sales.
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