Sony, Nintendo Update Warranty Policies After Ftc Warning

Sony and Nintendo both updated their warranty statements for the United States and Canada this week following a warning from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Both companies' statements previously said that their warranties would not apply if a product was used with a third-party peripheral (such as an adapter or power supply). They now specify that the warranties will not apply only if these third party products caused the damage.

Sony also removed a clause saying that the warranty would not apply if the warranty seal had been altered or removed. The company replaced this with a stipulation that the warranty will not apply "to damage caused by opening the product or to damage caused by service performed by someone other than a representative of SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] or an SIE-authorized service provider."

The FTC announced last month that it issued a warning to six companies — including Sony and Nintendo — about questionable language in the companies' statements regarding consumers voiding warranties when breaking stickers on the product, or when using parts or products not sold by the companies themselves. The FTC cautioned that such language is prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, unless the companies themselves provide such parts or services for free, or are waived by the FTC.

The FTC asked the companies to review their promotional and warranty materials, and revise their practices to comply with the law. The FTC said it would review the companies' websites after 30 days, and warned, "failure to correct any potential violations may result in law enforcement action."