• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Sony will refund consumers over ‘deceiving’ PlayStation Vita ads

W

Wasp

Member
$25 in cash to everyone who bought a Vita before June 1st 2012? Sony are going to lose hundreds of dollars over this.
 
T

Toki767

Member
Long story short, they "false advertised" 3G being able to get you multiplayer gaming sessions apparently.

I'm not sure they actually advertised that though...unless uploading scores onto a leaderboard counts...which you can do with 3G.
 
S

Shojx

Member
I don't feel like I've been deceived, but I'm not gonna say no to free credit.

I'm also curious how they determine eligibility. I don't think I have my receipt anymore.
 
J

jesu

Member
As part of its launch campaign for the PS Vita, Sony claimed that the pocket-sized console would revolutionize gaming mobility by enabling consumers to play their PlayStation 3 games via “remote play,” and that they could engage in “cross platform” play by starting a game on a PS3 and then continuing it on the go, right where they left off, on a PS Vita. The FTC alleges that each of these claims was misleading.

In a related action, the Commission charged that Deutsch LA, Sony’s advertising agency for the PS Vita launch, knew or should have known that the advertisements it produced contained misleading claims about the console’s cross platform and 3G capabilities.

The FTC also alleges that Deutsch LA 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. Under a separate settlement order, Deutsch LA is barred from such conduct in the future.
Click to expand...

http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pres...ntertainment-america-provide-consumer-refunds
 
S

Spwn

Member
Is this about the PS3 remote play function? Or something else? The mystery port not getting any accessories?

edit: nailed it.
 
O

Oni Jazar

Member
Jonboy said:
Cool, thanks. I'll take my $50---wait....what did they falsely advertise?

Edit: Here it is.

"The FTC took issue with Sony’s claim that the Vita enabled gamers to pause any PS3 game and pick up playing it from anywhere using the Vita’s “cross-save” capability."
Click to expand...


They deserve to get in trouble for this. That was blatant BS and they knew it. So strange how specific the ads were about "pausing the game" and continuing right where you left off on PS3.
 
I

Iceberg

Member
Maybe it's about the ads where a model was playing a Vita in the tub, during a bubble bath.

Vita is not waterproof, for example.

Or maybe it's just the games.
 
B

blackjaw

Member
I bought one at launch, wondering if they are just looking for activation on PSN and sending the vouchers that way?
 
N

Neuromancer

Member
As part of its launch campaign for the PS Vita, Sony claimed that the pocket-sized console would revolutionize gaming mobility by enabling consumers to play their PlayStation 3 games via "remote play," and that they could engage in "cross platform" play by starting a game on a PS3 and then continuing it on the go, right where they left off, on a PS Vita. The FTC alleges that each of these claims was misleading.
Click to expand...
http://www.wric.com/story/27478942/...ading-ads-for-playstation-vita-gaming-console
 
N

Not Spaceghost

Spaceghost
Had to go to a totally different source to find out what the claims were

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...laystation-vita-gaming-console-300001096.html

Basically it seems like early PS Vita commercials said there would be cross platform play, presumably meaning that PS vita players could play with PSP and PS3 players?

As part of its launch campaign for the PS Vita, Sony claimed that the pocket-sized console would revolutionize gaming mobility by enabling consumers to play their PlayStation 3 games via "remote play," and that they could engage in "cross platform" play by starting a game on a PS3 and then continuing it on the go, right where they left off, on a PS Vita. The FTC alleges that each of these claims was misleading.
Click to expand...

I guess neither of these came to fruition, remote play is only possible on PS4 games right?
 
J

Jonboy

Member
Isotope said:
Dammit, I sold my Vita that would have qualified for a 2000 model a month ago. Free credit would have been nice. :(
Click to expand...

You should still qualify. Why would it matter if you sold the Vita? Only thing that matters is if you purchased one (at retail) before June 1, 2012.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Could it be online gaming over 3G?

I remember the ads showing something like that. Playing a shooter on a bus.
 
D

djplaeskool

Member
Ohh...3G stuff.
That's what they get for partnering with AT&T
Kappa

Seems like they showed a lot of PS3 stuff when all the compatibility didn't come until the PS4.
That's understandable.
 
H

heyf00L

Member
The actual deceit:

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 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.
Click to expand...
http://www.wric.com/story/27478942/...ading-ads-for-playstation-vita-gaming-console
 
P

Pai Pai Master

Banned
Oni Jazar said:
They deserve to get in trouble for this. That was blatant BS and they knew it.
Click to expand...

That makes sense. The advertising made it seem really broad, like it really would apply to ANY PS3 game.

Those of us who have better means of being informed knew specifically which games had cross-save functionality.
 
Z

ZeroCoin

Member
edit: not the right lawsuit apparently

This does bring to mind the other Sony class action settlement. Any word on when that goes live?
 
SerTapTap

SerTapTap

Member
Oh it's over 3G? lol. That was such dumb shit. In a sane world everything but phones would use Wifi and phones would be able to tether without issue. Love my no-contract Nexus 5 for that.
 
S

Speedwagon

Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel. Yabuki turned off voice chat in Mario Kart races. True artists of their time.
I dont think I ever registered my launch vita nor do I have any idea where my receipt is. I guess Im screwed.
 
L

LowlySmokeGuy

Banned
I don't own a Vita, but this seems rather picky to me. All the broken games out now are way more egregious offenses of false advertisement, and the FTC never does anything about broken games.
 
U n i o n 0015

U n i o n 0015

Member
sangreal said:
actual backstory, from the ftc blog: http://www.business.ftc.gov/blog/20...claims-playstation-vita-and-tweets-deutsch-la
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. From the article:

The FTC says Sony exaggerated the Vita’s capabilities. In fact, users can’t easily access their PS3 games on the PS Vita. Most PS3 games can’t be played remotely because Sony didn’t specifically design the remote play feature into the PS3 system. For example, the popular PS3 game Killzone 3 was featured in a Sony video about remote play, but was never playable remotely on the Vita – and very few, if any, games of a similar size and complexity worked with the remote play feature.
Click to expand...

Pretty interesting and I think it shows companies that if you don't have a feature fully-realized, you have no business advertising it as such.
 
Mihos

Mihos

Gold Member
Not Spaceghost said:
Had to go to a totally different source to find out what the claims were

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...laystation-vita-gaming-console-300001096.html

Basically it seems like early PS Vita commercials said there would be cross platform play, presumably meaning that PS vita players could play with PSP and PS3 players?



I guess neither of these came to fruition, remote play is only possible on PS4 games right?
Click to expand...


remote play works between Vita/PS3 also, but only on like 3 games I can think of and none of them the way they show. We could probably find examples of this on every system ever released, though.
 
1

1st Course

Member
They are suing them over this

BCxOgwi.jpg


http://www.business.ftc.gov/blog/20...claims-playstation-vita-and-tweets-deutsch-la
 
BiGBoSSMk23

BiGBoSSMk23

A company being excited for their new game is a huge slap in the face to all the fans that liked their old games.
I never saw or read any reports or advertisements claiming that the Vita would do suspend/resume Remote Play for PS3. Ever.

I'm pretty sure if Sony had claimed that the Vita could stream any PS3 game they would have had the gaming press all over them at launch.
 
old

old

Member
They must have added the reason now. Says it's because of claims regarding cross play and 3G multiplayer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

[Stephen Totilo] Exclusive: The making of the PlayStation Portal
News Platform
10
916
ChorizoPicozo replied
Sea of Thieves on PS5 reveals Microsoft's Trojan Horse to turn millions of PS5 users into Xbox users
7 8 9 10 11
545
23K
Topher replied
Sony should release a Playstation Portable PC (PPP) to compete against other portable PCs like Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally
2 3 4 5
240
10K
Woopah replied
Devil's advocate: A Sony Cloud/Remote Play handheld could eliminate Vita's biggest flaw
Opinion Clickbait
25
1K
UnNamed replied
  • Locked
German Consumer Protection Agency Issues Warning to Sony over PlayStation Network
News
34
2K
Thick Thighs Save Lives replied
Top Bottom