Is the PSN account requirement change potentially an abusive contract clause in the EU?

[AzKat 🐔]

After some short googling, I found out that unilaterally changing contracts, changing stuff after the sale, modifying terms, imposing unreasonable demands might be an abusive contract clause in the EU.

If I understand the "Unfair contract terms" correctly, they are in breach of 9 clauses:

Citizens \ Consumers \ Unfair Treatment \ Unfair Contract Terms
Specifically clauses 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16


Can someone let me know if these Unfair Contract Terms do not apply in this case? Because from the examples given in those clauses that seems to be case.

Is it too early in the morning or is this actually the case?

edit: reworded the topic as it was indeed to early in the morning.

edit2: Sony removed the PSN requirement, via their announcement and via the confirmation from my steam support ticket that the requirement is no longer needed.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this topic and helped with the clarification.

And a big thank you to the community for not accepting unfair terms.

[AzKat 🐔]

forgot about the link:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/unfair-treatment/unfair-contract-terms

[Bo]

Thought of that too...

[Brine Silver]

Yes, it is effectively Illegal in the EU. EU mandates that its Member states be regarded as one entity and treated equally, yet several memberstates have no access to PSN, yet have been sold Helldivers copies. France has now also been Geofenced, which is equally illegal, especially scummy since PSN is available in France.

[Kroma]

terms were never changed though, you were promted and agreed to make a PSN account and link it at the release of the game. it was just "disabled" the first few months because apparently it wasn't properly integrated at the time

[McFuzz]

It is exactly optimistic to hope this but I got this weird feeling it's prob not lol.

[Myth Alric]

They didn't change anything, since it was a requirement from the start. Them not enforcing the rules, but then enforcing them later, isn't changing the rules.

[Oobaneko]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

I think you will have a hard time proving that a sign up is an "unfair contract term" lol

Nothing hard, providing service outside PSN service regions means PSN wasn't required for playing.

[AzKat 🐔]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

I think you will have a hard time proving that a sign up is an "unfair contract term" lol

What about if that sign up is locked behind a $500 purchase of a Playstation 5?

[Brine Silver]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

I think you will have a hard time proving that a sign up is an "unfair contract term" lol

Mate, retractively removing access, IS a breach of their own contract, and to add, illegal.

[Oobaneko]

Originally posted by Myth Alric:

They didn't change anything, since it was a requirement from the start. Them not enforcing the rules, but then enforcing them later, isn't changing the rules.

Lol, it's hella'o'change in the eyes of court. It were illegal to provide such services from the beginning.

[AzKat 🐔]

Originally posted by Myth Alric:

They didn't change anything, since it was a requirement from the start. Them not enforcing the rules, but then enforcing them later, isn't changing the rules.

Lets say that's true and archived pages do not exist to prove otherwise, then they are in breach of only 8 clauses, which is still not exactly a squeaky clean situation.

[Miðgarðsormr470]

Totally illegal for sure.
A company sells a product in countries that the company itself limits the ability to have its product.
This limit occurs after months.
The person who purchased the product without any limit now finds himself having wasted money because he cannot refund (but I believe that Steam will soon thunder on SONY and will allow many refunds) nor can he submit to this rubbish, given that his country It's not on the PSN list.
Have you read the email from the Ukrainian user?
"The only way to subscribe to PSN in your country is through the console"
Can you imagine what a monstrous disaster something like this will cause? Precisely in this historical moment?

[ꉔꏂ꒐꒒ꇙ]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

Originally posted by AzKat 🐔:

What about if that sign up is locked behind a $500 purchase of a Playstation 5?

Huh? What are you talking about

They can't create a PSN account on the internet and they need to buy a PS Console just to make one. Basically, fraud to get more money into Sony's pockets.

Edit: Well, the PS5 since this game isn't on the PS4.

[yura37]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

Originally posted by AzKat 🐔:

What about if that sign up is locked behind a $500 purchase of a Playstation 5?

Huh? What are you talking about

for about 1/2 of the world they would need a physical ps5 to make a psn account.

[Amanita]

Originally posted by Deep Rock Galactic:

Originally posted by Oobaneko:

Nothing hard, providing service outside PSN service regions means PSN wasn't required for playing.

It was required, as in clearly stated that you had to do it, from the start. It doesnt need to be required in a technical way.

This is "misleading the customer" in europe. Its illegal. You can't sell a product and not enforce a part of it only to enforce it after sales.