Sony accused of anti-competitive practices against Xbox by US Congress

The report also mentions that ten members of US Congress have sent two letters addressed to Trade Rep Tai and Secretary Raimondo.

"Today, we write to bring to your attention the imbalanced Japanese video game market, which we are concerned may be a result of a discriminatory trade practice that could violate the spirit of the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement," one letter reads. The letter was signed by four Republican members of Congress.

According to the lawmakers, Sony has a 98% share of the high-end console market in the country. The representatives are saying that Sony has signed deals to keep best-selling video games from Japanese developers from the Xbox console. The letter claims that this tactic "may violate Japan's antitrust laws."

The letter states, "The Japanese government's effective policy of non-prosecution when it comes to Sony appears to be a serious barrier to U.S. exports, with real impacts for Microsoft and the many U.S. game developers and publishers that sell globally but see their earnings in Japan depressed by these practices."

A separate letter was also sent to Tai and Raimondo by six Democrat lawmakers from Microsoft's home state of Washington. The letter expresses similar concerns.

The issue raised by US lawmakers also left out Nintendo, which is, far and away, the best-selling console manufacturer in Japan. The clever use of the phrase "high-end consoles" is meant to exclude the Nintendo Switch which has outsold both the PlayStation and Xbox globally.

This latest development in the rivalry between Microsoft and Sony comes on the heels of the US FTC blocking the tech giant's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Sony has been the most vocal opposition to the deal which is currently being investigated by the US FTC, UK CMA, and EU Commission.

Microsoft has welcomed the move by US lawmakers. "Sony's anti-competitive tactics deserve discussion, and we welcome further investigation to ensure a level playing field in the video game industry," Microsoft spokesperson David Cuddy said in a statement to Axios.

Sony has not yet issued a statement on the matter.