Sony must pay every US customer that bought a PS Vita before June 1, 2012, says the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC found Sony Computer Entertainment America, the American branch of the Japanese electronics company, guilty of using deceptive advertising to sell the handheld gaming device.

For each US customer that bought a PS Vita before the June 1, 2012, cutoff date, Sony will pay out a $25 cash refund or a $50 credit.

Only US buyers who purchased the PS Vita in the first three and a half months after its initial release are eligible for the refund.

Lies in advertising

According to the FTC, an advertising campaign conducted by Sony promised “game-changing” features on the PS Vita that were missing from most of the games available on the handheld gaming device.

The ruling singled out three key promises on which the PS Vita failed to deliver:

Remote Play –  Allows gamers to remotely access their PlayStation 3 games and play them on the PS Vita using a Wi-Fi connection

Cross Platform Gaming – Allows game progress to be saved on the PlayStation 3 and continued seamlessly on the PS Vita and vice versa

3G Version – A promised upgrade feature that would allow games to be played over a 3G connection

The remote play and cross platform features are available on a few select games, but Sony’s advertising gave the impression that they were standard features across the board.

The FTC also filed complaints against Sony’s advertising company, Deutsch LA, for misleading practices on Twitter.

The complaints accuse Deutsch LA of encouraging employees to generate buzz on Twitter about the PS Vita without disclosing their connection to the electronic entertainment company.

Where’s my money?

If you bought a PS Vita in the US before June 1, 2012, you can fill out the form provided by the FTC to request your refund or credit. If the form seems a little confusing, don’t worry. Sony will also be sending out emails to customers with instructions.

The options offered are a $25 check, a $25 credit to be applied to your PlayStation Network account, or a $50 “merchandise voucher” that can be used for Sony merchandise or other products or games.

Read the full ruling by the FTC here.