Interesting. It doesn't seem as though the services themselves are being targeted for legal action, but rather:

The issue seems to be about automatic renewals and the ability to get a refund. Though in regard to the latter, I imagine there would have to be a refund request issued within a certain time frame after purchase. It wouldn't make sense to sell a one-month subscription and allow refunds up to a month after purchase, after all.

 

Yes I know, I am being a bit "propagandistic" if that word even exists. But even then I still think that these investigations and possible outcomes could benefir us, the consumers. And hopefully make companies start at least "thinking" about dropping some of the online "pay walls" in their future consoles.

I have the "hunch" that these investigations are starting because of now Nintendo also charging for online. And these people in the UK realizing how there is almost zero places were you can play online for free. It is becoming a monopolistic business practice, or a better term would be a "collusion" like practice now. Forgive my english.

 

Hope Nintendo gets their asses handed to them, a dose of their own "legal" medicine, like they gave to roms and fangames.

 

It's nice that it's being looked into, but I doubt anything will come from it. Sincerely hope we're wrong, though.

 

Most of that seemed fairly boring. If they are found to be being a bit predatory with the auto renews then hopefully they get slapped.

That said
" do the companies’ terms give them wide discretion to change the quality of the deal, for example, by reducing the number of games included or increasing the price?"
That could be an interesting one. I don't know the legal guidelines for that and how they will phrase it (doubtless it, thinking stuff like PSN+ game library, will be deemed a free perk for members as it comes with every membership and thus a nicety rather than a sales point, though I am prepared to be wrong there).

As far as price increases I have not heard of any in the mainstream gaming world here for subs, compared to the likes of video rental services in their prime.

 

"Our investigation will look into whether the biggest online gaming companies are being fair with their customers when they automatically renew their contracts, and whether people can easily cancel or get a refund.

Should we find that the firms aren’t treating people fairly under consumer protection law, we are fully prepared to take action."

Last year I had to sue Sony to get an unauthorized transaction refunded.