Nintendo and Sony are changing the way subscription renewals are handled

After investigating how Nintendo and Sony handle renewals for paid online subscription services, both made changes to the company’s policy.

As reported by GI.biz, the changes were prompted after the Competition and Markets Authority conducted an investigation into auto-renewal practices.

In light of the investigation and to comply with consumer protection laws, Sony will change how it renews its PlayStation Plus subscription.

Under the new plan, the company will send reminders to customers who haven’t used the service in a while, telling them how to cancel their subscription. Should a user not cancel and actively use it, Sony will stop taking payments.

In the meantime, Nintendo will no longer offer auto-renew as a default option for its Nintendo Switch Online service. If customers wish to choose auto-renewal, they must do so after signing up.

The companies have followed in Microsoft’s footsteps, which transformed how information is presented to Game Pass subscribers. Since January, users have been able to clearly see membership, pricing, refunds, and cancellation information.