A US Senator Just Wrote Sony Directly About Their Anti-Competitive Practices

gameranx.com:

Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota has written Sony a letter about their anti-competitive practices, and requesting information about the company.

Senator Cramer is the junior US Senator for North Dakota since 2019, and previously represented the state in the US Congress.

I sent Sony Corporation a letter regarding its anti-competitive behavior and to request information on the company’s acquisition agreements. https://t.co/9hRkuw5JFF

In the letter, Cramer addressed the current CEO and President of Sony, Kenichiro Yoshida. He tells Yoshida that :

“I write to express concern about Sony’s efforts to protect its gaming console business from competition. For more than 20 years, Sony has utterly dominated the gaming console market, as the market has been defined by the Federal Trade Commission. I am concerned Sony’s dominance of that market, and its efforts to perpetuate its current position imperils an important economic development opportunity for North Dakota. Therefore, I write to request more information about Sony’s anti-competitive business practices.”

Senator Cramer than goes on to detail North Dakota’s entry into the gaming industry as a part of the state’s economy. They have invested in educational incentives for North Dakotans to enter the video game industry, and even in eSports. According to ESA figures, it already accounts for 221 jobs and $ 20.6 million in income.

Aside from citing the FTC’s definition of the console business, Senator Cramer cites these as anti-competitive practices:

The letter ends with Senator Cramer publicly requesting information from Sony on how they conduct their business. You can read the full letter here.

This goes without saying, but this is a considerable escalation from previous