FTC charges Sony for misleading, deceptive Vita advertisements and promises. Early adopters get cash compensation.
The FTC has just ruled on a case over deceptive advertisement regarding the PSVita before and after the initial launch of the device.
Sony Computer Entertainment America (“Sony”) agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it “deceived consumers with false advertising claims about the “game changing” technological features of its PlayStation Vita handheld gaming console during its U.S. launch campaign in late 2011 and early 2012.”
Some of those ads and promises from Sony were brought under scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission for misleading consumers of the capabilities and features the Vita was to have. Some of those features include PS3 remote play, save state functionality and more. If you recall, Sony relied heavily on the PS3 remote play feature for advertising but never came through. Many titles, even to this day do not include remote play functionality for PS3 games. Games like Killzone 3 were shown to have remoteplay in adverts but never actually implemented such feature.
The official press release from the FTC details all the claims:
The FTC’s complaint against Sony charges the company with making false claims about the PS Vita’s “cross platform gaming” or “cross-save” feature. 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. 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.
The complaints also detail other various misleading presentations from Sony:
The FTC’s complaint also alleges that Sony’s PS Vita ads falsely implied that consumers who owned the 3G version of the device (which cost an extra $50 plus monthly fees) could engage in live, multi-player gaming through a 3G network. In fact, consumers could not engage in live, multiplayer gaming.
The complaint further alleges that Sony also falsely claimed that with the “remote play” feature, PS Vita users could easily access their PS3 games on their handheld consoles. In reality, most PS3 games were not remote playable on the PS Vita. Sony also misled consumers by falsely claiming that PS Vita users could remotely play the popular PS3 game, Killzone 3, on the PS Vita. In fact, Sony never enabled remote play on its Killzone 3 game title, and very few, if any, PS3 games of similar size and complexity were remote playable on the PS Vita.
Other complaints include false advertisement and not informing customers on certain, advertised games to have cross-buy that didnt such as MLB 12: The Show.
In addition to charging Sony the FTC decided to also charge Deutsch LA. According to the FTC they further “misled consumers by urging its employees to create awareness and excitement about the PS Vita on Twitter, without instructing employees to disclose their connection to the advertising agency or its then-client Sony”.
As a result of these charges Sony (and Deutsch LA) are required to pay back compensation to buyers of the Vita at that time and is not allowed to make similarly misleading advertising campaigns.
Consumers who bought a PS Vita gaming console before June 1, 2012 will receive either a $25 cash or credit refund, or a $50 merchandise voucher for select video games, and/or services. Sony is ordered to verify everyone who is eligible and then email them shortly after they finalize details of the settlement.
The FTC has also posted a news-post called Sony’s ads shouldn’t play games to further get the point across that misleading consumers can and will have consequences.
Maybe now Sony will not be so half arsed with handheld consoles.
Maybe not.
US only. Damn, I actually bought vita before june 2012…
Same here. I actually picked it up when they had the 2 weeks early sale and it was as much as a new ps3 bundle. It was my valentines to myself. I think I spent more on my present than the wife’s, Lol.
WoW… I bought my Vita on release day in the U.S. and have since traded it in. What a huge disappointment for a revolutionary handheld. My original PSP is so much better, I still have it. That’ll be the last $ony handheld I invest in.
I could see that for western audience, but as someone who own Japanese PSN account, i’m more or less satisfied.. and i hope they keep making handheld and do better next time.
Heck, i’ll buy PSP3 day1 if it ever come across.
Well I hope this teaches Sony a lesson,don’t mess with Americans with those false ads I bought mines thinking I’d be able to play bf3 with remote play with didn’t,only was able to play shadow of Colossus collection which got old really quickly,I will gladly take credit cuz I still do play my vita now and then.
How? The Amazon.com shopping is on the list?
This news is old….whats going on whith psv hack scene? RELEASE THE BUBBLE
Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles! MY bubbles…
U jelly. Thought so.
I hope that when we all have access to bubbles you’re one of the few idiots console/account banned because of it
Hack it yourself slappy.
lol
what if i wend on to say the ftc dont comply regulating the trade commsions.
this is current technology tech.
but is being worked on towards the next-next-gen-)
allthough i wanted those features … i aint complaining tho
i think every device has its cons and pros
i like my vita
leave me alone ftc.
Did you read whole article? Do you understand what is it about?
wut? You didnt even *** read this article did you, the FTC is saying Sony LIED to us and is making them pay the consumers back for their lies, how is that bad?
well it sounds like a good deal if we all get 25 dollars/euros soemthing.
but im just fed up by the commision arch
dang, just outside this got mine in late november 2012 definately would like $25 for another game on my vita, oh well. hows the hacking scene? anything usefull with the bubbles yet?
How are they going to know our email when i purchased my vitas they did not ask what my email is?
They will use the PSN account and the date when you registered your vita… I think… XD
When you purchased your Vita you should have turned it on, registered a PSN account to it, and probably played with some of the built in apps or the game you purchased with it (I unfortunately got no games with it, I simply wanted a first model in case the first ones were easier to hack, and the starting games didnt interest me).
That PSN registration marks when you got the Vita.
I didn’t register mine on PSN right away. Didn’t even update as I wanted to see about hacks and stuff first. I don’t even have my receipt from when I got mine.
I got mine in March 2012
Where’s my money liars.
Had 2 before they even launched for a job I had at the time and then my own personal preorder that I received on launch day and I’ve not seen any such email.
I got my original Vita in March 2012. Will people in the UK be getting any of this compensation?
Nope. US only.
That’s not exactly fair then. I had a lot of trouble back then as well due to having a fault with an analogue stick and they wouldn’t do anything even though it was still in warranty (the Vita had been out for 10 months at this point) because the stickers from the bottom fell off.
If you were advertised the same lies convince your government to do the same.
I got mine exactly in june 1 2012 ;_;
Does anyone know what this email is supposed to look like?
Subject, Sender, etc? I’d like to know what I should be looking for.
Mane, this sucks. Instead of paying consumers back, why don’t they just lower prices on the Vitas. It’s too overpriced. The Vita, without any exploits, is not worth the $200. Its at least worth $149.99 plus a Molly.
Well I bought mine on lauch at february 2012… from here: https://www.estarland.com
Will I get this even if i’m from brazil?…. =S
Well I am from the US. And I bought mine and registered it online in February when Ithe came out so I’ll probably have the choice of 20 dollars or 50 PSN dollars, I’ll choose the 50 PSN dollars because since then they have given us a lot of free games and great new games lIke freedom wars, and I’ll use that money to buy more things from them, like any hack game you guys announce lol 🙂
Not to mention, what is the Accessory Port for??????????????? Nothing
im just saying so says the commision …
i mean
if u happen to have a ps3 cfw 3.55 and a psvita 1.69
remoteplay would works and u could edit the cfg of the ps3 game
to allow ps3 serving remote play to psvita
but u cant do the same on a playstationtv tho
im just thinking the commision is wrong.
becuz those AAA titles are refused for mobile encounters by prolly the same commision.
now the only thing i could want is
a psvita second player
a playstationtv second player
a pcsx2online bubble
or even a ps3 remoteplay on playstationtv
…
as not to mention i aint a us resident thus dont get my commision trade ofc.
So are we getting any money from this? Or ftc has all the money?
I actually bought my vita quite early. I can’t remember the month, but here’s hoping I get a voucher.
personally, I’d rather them complete the task and give us remote play for PS3. money for a vita game < my entire ps3 library IMO.
Wow, I bought mine in July 2012.
Ahahah. 🙂
But this remembers me to that one:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11155731/13m-lawsuit-proves-Red-Bull-doesnt-give-you-wings.html
Great! This mean i will receive a $50 voucher code 😛
$ony might as well send me a new vita since at least bought over all 5 vitas from june 2012 😀 including those stupid 3G/Wifi vitas!!!
I get this feeling this only includes those that registered the device with Sony on their website, methinks this will prevent them from having shell out more money as these are the only ones who can be proven to have owned a vita at the time of launch through June 2012. They could make a claim that anyone else could have just registered a psn on a friends vita. And without registry of the console there is no proof… 90% of us are likely f*cked
I was thinking the same thing unless the SONY store had my purchases in archive I would be willing to ask just for the loss 😀 I bought two of those 3G/WIFI gimmick systems but I don’t ever remembering registering any of my vitas 🙁
Seriously, how do I go about this? I qualify! I have my receipt!
So how do I get my money? I bought it in may 2012 and still have it lying on my desk, with a dead battery.
This does not seem to have occurred with VAST.