Back in 2010, a lawsuit was filed against Sony after the ability to install and run Linux on PlayStation 3 consoles was removed in an update.
For some gamers, the fact they could run Linux on the console was a big selling point, and they were understandably miffed when the feature was taken away.
Six years later, Sony has finally agreed to settle on the case. Anyone who used Linux on their PS3 will be able to claim $55 – and the company could be paying out that amount to as many as 10 million PS3 owners. Ouch.
Ars Technica reports that to get the $55, gamers will need to:
Attest under oath to their purchase of the product and installation of Linux, provide proof of their purchase or serial number and PlayStation Network Sign-in ID, and submit some proof of their use of the Other OS functionality.
Any PS3 owners who don’t have time for all that nonsense could claim back $9 if they’re able to send in a claim that explains how when they brought the system, they knew about the Other OS functionality, and intended to use it/relied on it.
Gamers can also get $9 if they can:
Attest that he or she lost value and/or desired functionality or was otherwise injured as a consequence of Firmware Update 3.21 issued on April 1, 2010.
Only US gamers who picked up a “fat” PS3 between November 1, 2006 and April 1, 2010 are eligible for the settlement offer. The offer has yet to be approved by a judge, but a decision will be made in July.
Sony will be reaching out to customers via the PSN email database to notify them, and a series of banner ads will begin to crop up on sites like GameSpot.
This all began back in 2010, when a customer claimed Sony breached its sales contract by removing the Other OS feature. The suit was then brought by Anthony Ventura, who alleged that the removal of the feature was indeed unlawful.
There’s a lot of ballache to go through in getting back that money for such an old purchase, so there’s a very good chance that a lot of people just won’t bother.
Still, Anthony Ventura and the lawyers who brought the suit were awarded “up to 2.25 million in attorneys fees”, so it’s good times for those guys, at least.
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.