Following Nintendo's example, Sony and Microsoft argue they have no obligation to pass tariff refunds onto customers
Sony and Microsoft say gamers cannot show tariff-driven price hikes, while Sony’s refund totals $508 million after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs.
- Following Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft asked a Northern District Court judge on Monday to dismiss class-action lawsuits seeking tariff refunds, arguing that paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact.
- President Trump implemented an unprecedented tariff regime in 2025, but after the Supreme Court struck these down as unconstitutional, companies received government refunds, prompting gamers to sue for a portion of the money.
- The PS5 manufacturer received $508 million back from Uncle Sam; Sony lawyers argued that if tariffs caused recent PS5 and PlayStation Portal price hikes, they would not have raised prices again after the tariffs were eliminated.
- In an August 21 filing, Microsoft lawyers stated: "There is nothing unjust about Plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what he paid for." Microsoft asserts the Plaintiff cannot prove pricing differential from tariffs.
- While the companies may be right on legal merits, these arguments seem unlikely to persuade in the court of public opinion; Game File reports the situation has put Sony and Microsoft in the awkward position of telling customers to take a hike.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Sony Says It Won't Pass Tariff Refunds Back to PlayStation Customers, and Dismisses Fan Arguments as 'Speculative and Illogical'
Sony has dismissed calls to return some of the $500 million it will receive in tariff refunds, despite having already passed its extra costs onto consumers through console price rises.
Following Nintendo's example, Sony and Microsoft argue they have no obligation to pass tariff refunds onto customers
Lawyers representing Sony and Microsoft have argued, in two separate lawsuits, that the platform holders are not obligated to pass tariff refunds back to consumers. Sony and Microsoft have had to raise prices of their PlayStation and Xbox consoles in 2025 in response to US-imposed tariffs. The US Supreme Court ruled the tariffs illegal earlier this year, allowing impacted companies to request refunds.
Console makers refuse to refund players for overpaying for PS5 and Xbox Series due to Trump's illegal tariffs
Sony and Microsoft are also seeking the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit over refunds to buyers of PlayStation 5 and Xbox series consoles. With the move, the tech giant bolstered Nintendo’s stance in the long-running legal battle. Denying refunds is important to the industry because it reflects a company’s right to retain revenue from tariff-related […]
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