A resourceful guy in the UK thinks that Sony’s disabling of the “Install Other OS” feature from the PS3 violates EU standards. Amazon, the e-tailer from which he bought the console, agrees.
A moderator on the popular gaming forum Neogaf sent a complaint to Amazon asking for some sort of compensation because his PS3 no longer worked as advertised.
The gamer, who goes by the name “iapetus,” pointed to European law Directive 1999/44/EC, which states in part that goods sold must “comply with the description given by the seller” and that all necessary features be “made known to the seller at the time of purchase.”
Clearly, the fact that Sony remotely and voluntarily disabled the Other OS feature makes the case that the description “at the time of purchase” is now invalid.
Amazon sent an e-mail back to the smart consumer, saying, “We are writing to confirm that we have processed your refund in the amount of £84.00.” That’s around $130, or around 20% of the cost of the PS3, which this guy must have bought at least 3 years ago.
It is likely that Amazon will pass this cost on to Sony, and it is an important decision that may require Sony to reconsider its decision to take out one of the system’s most intriguing features.
Everyone in the UK who bought an older (i.e., non-slim) PS3 model should e-mail Amazon and request a similar refund. That will make Sony turn its head.
