Nintendo, Sony Announce Changes To Warranty To Comply With FTC Warning

Both Nintendo and Sony have announced changes to their warranty policy, following a stern warning from the Federal Trade Commission. USGamer reports that both companies have issued updates to their warranty. Both companies have issued new warranty guidelines that now says they're only voided by damage caused by third-party products or services, not mere use of them.

The FTC had also particularly pointed out a problematic sticker that acted as a seal against opening the PlayStation 4. Sony has changed the language that previously suggested removing the sticker would void the warranty itself. Like the other change, the warning now says the warranty does not apply to damage caused by opening the products or third-party service providers.

The FTC had previously warned both console manufacturers, along with Microsoft and other hardware makers Asus and HTC, against certain language in their warranties. The companies had been telling customers that opening or using third-party repair services would void the warranty, which the FTC took issue with. Doing so is an apparent violation of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

So far Microsoft does not appear to have complied. Opening your console is still listed among the warranty exclusions for the Xbox One on the official site. Each of the companies mentioned does have 30 days from the issuance of the warning, though, so Microsoft still has time to comply.