Sony agrees to pay out millions to PS3 owners, and you might qualify

There was a time when PlayStation owners could install and run other operating systems such as Linux and FreeBSD via a feature called Other OS. Eventually, it was disabled by firmware update 3.21 and was completely unavailable on newer models of the console. Now, after 6 years of litigation, Sony has finally reached a settlement and has agreed to pay out millions to "all persons in the United States who purchased a Fat PS3 model in the United States between November 1, 2006, and April 1, 2010."

Gamers can receive sums of $55 and $9 provided they meet certain requirements. To qualify for the $55 payment, consumers "must attest under oath to their purchase of the product and installation of Linux, provide proof of their purchase or serial number and PlayStation Network Sign-in ID, and submit some proof of their use of the Other OS functionality."

In order to get the $9 payment, consumers must submit a claim stating that at the time of purchase, they "knew about the Other OS, relied upon the Other OS functionality, and intended to use the Other OS functionality." Another way consumers can get it is to "attest that he or she lost value and/or desired functionality or was otherwise injured as a consequence of Firmware Update 3.21 issued on April 1, 2010."

Like any firmware update, 3.21 was entirely voluntary, however declining the update meant not having the ability to connect to PSN or play games online. Sony attributed the decision to remove Other OS due to "security concerns". While Sony did not specify what these concerns were, it was revealed through litigation that they were "concerned that the Other OS feature might be used by hackers to copy and/or steal gaming and other content."

If you want to read the full 30-page document, you can head over here.

Source: Ars Technica