Game news Horizon Forbidden West: Sony soon to be sued? A lawyer speaks
Horizon Forbidden West is about to go commercial and very clearly the general excitement is high. Still, some point to marketing and policy that may well cause problems for Sony…
The Aloy of the market
Friday should be a very big day for the start of 2022: Horizon Forbidden West will be released on the market and besides, the Guerrilla Games game is already causing a lot of ink to flow. It must be said that the critics are rave about it, with a score of 89/100 percent in the tests listed. A priori, we should all take a little slap.
On the other hand, some people are highlighting a specific move by Sony regarding exclusivity that could hurt it: the price difference between the PS4 and PS5 version. In itself, selling a more expensive title on next-gen consoles is not a problem: the concern would actually come from the free upgrade, allowing all owners of the software on PS4 to “transform” it into a PS5 version.
Thereby, why pay more for the PS5 version (79.99 euros), if it is possible to have it through the PS4 version (69.99 euros)? This is pointed out by lawyer Richard Hoeg, of the American firm Hoeg Law, in his recent podcast Virtual Legality. Particularly at ease in the video game industry, the man simply advises not to buy Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 at full price and denounces Sony’s attitude, which he considers misleading.
A policy that could lead to a lawsuit?
Particularly uplifted, Richard Hoeg explains: for him, this “misleading” marketing and pricing policy could lead to legal action by the Federal Trade Commission, whose role is precisely to supervise the behavior of the type. Nevertheless, the conditional remains in force, as he specifies in VGC.
While I personally think this sort of thing crosses the line and seems misleading on the face of it, I can’t guarantee that an authority like the Federal Trade Commission or a judge would feel the same way.
That said, as I mentioned in my video, you can certainly see what was announced and think that information (like the possibility of getting a copy of Horizon for 70$) is deliberately hidden and/or obscured. by Sony, just like in store presentation. If consumers knew they could play Horizon on PS5 for $70, many would make that choice instead of paying $80.
Nothing says that an action before the court will be pronounced, but Richard Hoeg considers that it is a possibility, one cannot more legitimate, moreover. So you’ve learned the lesson: unless you absolutely want a boxed PS5 version, you can get Horizon Forbidden West cheaper through the PS4 edition. This is precisely what we told you a few days ago and besides, you can find pre-orders at very attractive prices below.
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Horizon Forbidden West: all our guides and tips
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