The Competition Authority refers the Sony Playstation case to investigation

Competition concerns

The preliminary assessment of the investigation services identified competition concerns related to the implementation by Sony of two types of practices. On the one hand, the deployment by Sony, from November 2015, of a technical countermeasure device aimed at affecting the proper functioning of third-party game controllers that Sony presumes to be counterfeit. On the other hand, the refusals to join Sony’s official licensing program opposed to some companies wishing to market controllers compatible with the PlayStation 4 console.

The investigation services had therefore estimated that, through the implementation of these two practices, Sony was likely to have exploited its dominant position in the market for eighth-generation static video game consoles to slow down or prevent, or even deter , the entry and development of third parties into the market for game controllers compatible with the Playstation 4 console.

Proposals for commitments

In response to these competition concerns, Sony sent the Authority a first proposal for commitments, which was the subject of a public consultation (market test of 22 November 2019).

At the end of a meeting and after examining the final proposal for commitments produced by Sony, the Authority’s college considered that the proposed commitments could not be accepted because they did not allow a relevant response to the requirements. competition concerns identified by the investigation services.

Consequently, the college returned the file to the investigation so that it can resume its course.