Sony agrees to give refunds to Playstation Vita owners over misleading ads


Own a Playstation Vita? You might have a little extra money coming your way. Sony has settled with the FTC over claims regarding misleading ads for the handheld video game console, and the terms include a small settlement for everyone who purchased the Vita before June 1, 2012.
The FTC's complaints were pegged to commercials like the one below, which implies that players will be able to transfer any Playstation 3 game to their Playstation Vita for seamless, on-the-go play:
Though the feature does exist, it's far more limited than the commercial implies; the vast majority of Playstation 3 games are incompatible. "As we enter the year's biggest shopping period, companies need to be reminded that if they make product promises to consumers — as Sony did with the 'game changing' features of its PS Vita — they must deliver on those pledges," said the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
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Per the terms of the settlement, anyone who purchased a Playstation Vita before June 1, 2012 is entitled to a $25 check or a $50 voucher for "select games and services."
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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