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Did you own an original PS3? Sony may owe you $65

According to the settlement website, you're eligible if you purchased a 'fat' PS3 console between November 1, 2006, and April 1, 2010.
Credit: Tasos Katopodis
SCHAUMBURG, IL - NOVEMBER 17: Playstation 3 consoles are displayed for sale in a store on November 17, 2006 in Schamburg, Illinois. Circuit City in Schaumburg was the only store in midwest to have 100 Sony Playstation Three game systems.

WASHINGTON — Did you own or purchase an original-style PlayStation 3 last decade? If so, your chance to cash in on free money is nearing its deadline.

A settlement filed in October 2016 attempted to resolve the controversial 'OtherOS' feature from the operating system of the 'fat' PS3 console. The feature allowed users to partition their hard drive, or in layman's terms, separate different sections of their hard drives for additional storage. The most common usage for partitioning hard drives was to install the computer operating system Linux on the system.

The 'OtherOS' feature was removed from Sony's devices in 2010.

Sony has since agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle the lawsuit. Initially, PS3 were owners were set to receive $55, but that settlement has jumped to $65, Polygon reported.

Are you eligible?

According to the settlement website, you're eligible if you purchased a 'fat' PS3 console between November 1, 2006, and April 1, 2010, from an authorized retailer, and you:

  • Used the 'OtherOS' functionality
  • Knew about the 'OtherOS' functionality
  • Contend or believe that you lost value or desired functionality or were otherwise injured as a consequence of Firmware Update 3.21 and/or the disablement of 'OtherOS' functionality in the Fat PS3.

How do I file a claim?

You may file a claim online through the settlement's website, here. You must provide at least one form of verification to file the claim:

  • Your 'fat' PS3 serial number
  • The PlayStation Network Sign-In ID associated with the console
  • The PlayStation Network Online ID associated with the console

The deadline to submit your claim is Sunday, April 15.

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