Skip to main content

FTC calls out Sony on false advertising for Vita, demands payback for early adopters

sony owes vita early adopters 50 according ftc mk9vitamissile
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Sony has been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to compensate early adopters of the PlayStation Vita because of advertising that was deemed misleading with regards to the system’s capabilities. According to the settlement, Sony will reward customers who purchased the Vita before June 1, 2012 either $25 cash or a $50 voucher for “select video games, and/or services.”

The FTC’s complaint springs from deceptive claims made about the Vita’s “game changing” capabilities advertised when the system launched in the U.S. in 2012. The advertisements in question overstated the system’s remote play, cross-save, cross-platform, and 3G networked multiplayer functionality. In a second complaint, the FTC also implicated Sony’s marketing firm Deutsch LA for facilitating and executing the deceptive marketing campaign.

Recommended Videos

According to the complaint, “Sony claimed, for example, that PS Vita users could pause any PS3 game at any time and continue to play the game on their PS Vita from where they left off,” the FTC says. “This feature, however, was only available for a few PS3 games, and the pause-and-save capability described in the ads varied significantly from game to game. For example, with respect to MLB 12: The Show, consumers could only save the game to the PS Vita after finishing the entire nine-inning game on their PS3. In addition, Sony failed to inform consumers that to use this feature, purchasers had to buy two versions of the same game — one for their PS3 and one for the PS Vita.”

Sony is required to reach out via e-mail to all customers who purchased a Vita before June 1, 2015, so keep an eye on your inbox if you eligible and want to cash in on Sony’s malfeasance.

Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
Sony’s new live-service title Concord is having a rough launch
A sniper from Concord leaping in the air.

Sony's live-service hero shooter Concord launched on PC and PlayStation 5 last week, and the early numbers are looking grim.

According to third-party data site SteamDB, Concord peaked at a disappointing 697 concurrent players on PC on launch day. At the time of this writing, there are 252 players in the game. This is despite two beta periods, an early access period that began on August 20, and a public launch on August 23. In comparison, Helldivers 2, another PlayStation first-party, live-service game released simultaneously on PC and PlayStation 5, hit a concurrent players peak of 458,709 around launch. Six months in, it still rakes in tens of thousands of players.

Read more
Check out the eyes on this special edition Astro Bot PS5 controller
The Astro bot sitting on top of the Astro Bot DualSense controller, which is a white controller with blue handles. The middle button also has eyes that look like Astro's.

We only have a couple of months to go before Astro Bot releases on PlayStation 5, but if that weren't enough, there's now a limited edition DualSense controller to go along with it.

Astro developers Team Asobi announced the Astro Bot Limited Edition controller, which looks just like the adorable PlayStation mascot. It'll go up for preorder starting at 7 a.m. PT on August 9 for $80, and fully on sale on Astro Bot launch day September 6.

Read more
You can now try out one of the PS5’s biggest 2024 exclusives for free
Rise of the Ronin's character on a horse.

If you've been on the fence about playing Rise of the Ronin, Sony is here to help you make a decision with a new free demo released on Wednesday.

The demo for this PlayStation 5 exclusive covers the game's first chapter, which features the battle with Gonzo and offers you your first major choice. If you're ready for the full experience, you'll be able to port your demo save data over. There are also four free avatars for your PSN ID now available.

Read more