Sony Agrees To Settle 6-year-old PS3-Linux Lawsuit

(RTTNews) - After nearly six years of litigation and many months of settlement negotiations, Sony has finally reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit over the Playstation 3's Linux functionality.

Subject to Court's preliminary approval, Sony agreed with the plaintiffs of a class-action lawsuit on the removal of the PlayStation 3's "Install Other OS" option to make a cash payment of $9 or $55 to qualified customers, depending on their claim.

About 10 million console owners in the US are eligible to submit a claim form to receive the cash payment.

In 2010, plaintiff Anthony Ventura had filed a lawsuit against Sony, alleging that Sony marketed the PS3 as having the ability to run an operating system, such as Linux, along with the native game operating system, and that the company subsequently removed the "Other OS" functionality in 2010, harming PS3 purchasers.

Approximately 10 million units were sold in the United States with the price ranging $400 to $600.

Sony has now agreed to pay $55 to those submitting a valid claim showing proof that he or she used the Other OS functionality. All other Class Members who submit a valid claim and attesting that they lost value and/or desired functionality or were otherwise injured will get $9.

Throughout the course of the case, Sony had vigorously denied liability, arguing that it had the right to remove the Other OS.

Under the deal terms, persons in the US who bought a Fat PS3 between November 1, 2006 and April 1, 2010 are eligible for the settlement offer. In addition, $2.25 million has been provided in the settlement in attorneys' fees for the legal counsel that brought the claims against Sony.

Sony will reach out to customers through the PlayStation Network email database, and will also display internet banner ads and search-related ads on sites including GameSpot and CNET.

Video game-related class-action lawsuits are not new for Sony. Last year, the company handed out compensation for the 2011 PSN hack, which compromised more than 70 million accounts.