The Italian regulators had an issue with Sony's marketing of PS Plus.

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Italy anti-trust regulators reportedly issued a two million Euro fine on Sony for allegedly misleading customers about its online PlayStation Plus service. At the center of the issue is how PS Plus is a requirement for online play.

According to Italian news site ANSA, the Italian Authority for Communications Guarantees (AGCOM) believe that Sony doesn't make it clear enough that PlayStation Plus is a requirement for online play, and that lack of information undercuts the true cost of the PS4. AGCOM argues that the need for PlayStation Plus for online is not visibly apparent in either the packaging or through the PlayStation Store.

Sony introduced the PlayStation Plus service and paid online functionality with the PS4 after offering online multiplayer for free during the PS3 era. At the time, rivals at Microsoft were already charging for online play through Xbox Live Gold. Now, all three major hardware makers, including Nintendo, offer premium online service as a separate subscription.

There's no word on whether Microsoft or Nintendo were scrutinized by the Italian regulators. It appears that AGCOM has specific grievances with PlayStation's retail packaging in this situation, though you can read the full report here (in Italian).

Thanks, ResetEra.