French competition authority Autorité de la Concurrence has fined Sony Interactive Entertainment for taking action against third-party PS4 controllers.
According to the regulator, in an attempt to combat counterfeits, Sony took technical measures that negatively affected the operation of third-party controllers. The company was accused of manipulating the PS4 controller market in its favor.
As reported by Competition Policy International/Pymnts, the regulator said that Sony's technical measures made it difficult for third-party manufacturers to compete, and the only controllers that functioned normally on PS4 were either DualShock 4 , or controllers released under an official license. Everyone else suffered from a number of problems, including frequent outages.
Autorité de la Concurrence claims that Sony deliberately made the licensing process vague and complex, leaving third-party manufacturers in the dark. As a result, Sony was fined $14.8 million. The body also condemned the lack of transparency in Sony's licensing program, saying the company “applied criteria at its own discretion, although access to the program was the only way to avoid blackouts” for third-party manufacturers.
No reaction from Sony yet. It is unknown whether she will appeal.