Sony to block imports (Lik-Sang out of business)

[cliffbo]

Sony to 'block PS3 Euro imports'
Sony will be blocking attempts to import the console
Sony has said it will use the "full scope of the law" to block the importing of PlayStation 3s (PS3) into Europe before its official release.

The much-anticipated games console goes on sale in the US and Japan next month but is not out in Europe until 2007.

Last week a British judge ruled that Taiwanese import/export firm Lik-Sang could not sell the Japanese version of Sony's handheld PSP in Europe.

The case sets a precedent for would-be importers of PlayStation 3 consoles.

A spokesman for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) told the BBC: "The law is clear, and grey importing PS2, PSP or PS3 into the EU, without the express permission of SCEE is illegal.

"Therefore, we will utilise the full scope of the law to put a stop to any retailers who chose to do this."

PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 has cost billions of dollars to produce

Critics of Sony's approach feel that the electronics giant is preventing gamers in Europe from getting their hands on PlayStation 3s early, even if they have to pay a hefty premium.

The spokesman said: "Ultimately, we're trying to protect consumers from being sold hardware that does not conform to strict EU or UK consumer safety standards."

He pointed out that the Japanese or American PS3 models would not play older European-sold software for the first two PlayStations, would not play EU Blu-ray movies or DVDs, and would not be covered by a warranty.

The decision to delay the release of the PS3 in Europe - due to stock shortages of vital components for the machine's Blu-ray player - came as a blow to players in the world's second-biggest games market.

The machine will be released in Europe in March, while it goes on sale on November 17 in the US and November 11 in Japan.

http://www.gametab.com/news/717935/Sony to 'block PS3 Euro imports'

[frosty]

I know you Europeans probably don't like this, but I see it as a good thing. The launch numbers we are getting are already too small to begin with, so it would ruin the launch for both territories if everyone else tried to grab a piece of the tiny and already half-eaten pie also.

[GTAce]

Hmm i dont have the money before march 07 and i wanna have a european PS3 alone because of the warranty etc. .

[Goki]

^^ Question is, why do u guys (Americans) get it 1st? Why cant we, (This is gonna turn into a school ground fight lol )

Answer is probably the majority are still gonna buy the PS3, and Sony knows it, so they can do it. If people in the EU would show that they would not buy as many PS3 as normal due to being last to getting the machine, then Sony might think twice, but us Euroopeans have shown time after time, were still gonna buy it till its outsold the 1st few weeks.

[VG Aficionado]

I have no problem in waiting anyway. It would have been nice to play PS3 this year, but to be honest I'm not that desperate, I will be busy making a living meanwhile and I'm really looking forward to the spring 07 game lineup rather than to the November launch lineup. I will also be probably getting a system with updated firmware and probably less flawed than the very first batch, which means greater chances of satisfaction and sustained excitement until I can get my hands on it. There are many PS2 games I want to play before March too.

^^ Question is, why do u guys (Americans) get it 1st? Why cant we, (This is gonna turn into a school ground fight lol ) The Japanese and American markets are about as big as the European market, but the main difference is that Europe has many different countries with different laws, taxes, languages, etc. and I can see that it's tougher to sell any product here than over there (I'm sure there are more factors which I ignore anyway). Europe will always be bound to be the one to get a product later than in the other territories.

[cliffbo]

^^ Question is, why do u guys (Americans) get it 1st? Why cant we, (This is gonna turn into a school ground fight lol )

Answer is probably the majority are still gonna buy the PS3, and Sony knows it, so they can do it. If people in the EU would show that they would not buy as many PS3 as normal due to being last to getting the machine, then Sony might think twice, but us Euroopeans have shown time after time, were still gonna buy it till its outsold the 1st few weeks.

because their competitors are doing better in America than anywhere else. fact is the Japanese market and the American market are more lucrative than the European market. they are assured the Japanese market share, Europe usually follows America, so its obvious if they take the American market, they will also take the European market

[Kiosko]

The spokesman said: "Ultimately, we're trying to protect consumers from being sold hardware that does not conform to strict EU or UK consumer safety standards."


In that sense, I guess its mandatory for Sony to do that.

[frosty]

^not to mention imported PS3s not being able to play EU region BD movies

[VG Aficionado]

^not to mention imported PS3s not being able to play EU region BD moviesYet another reason to wait for EU PS3s.

[OG_Monkey]

They cant stop em all. I m sure the really die hard ones bold enought to import in the first place will fly to the US or Japan and straight up buy one and bring it back some how.

[EMAGDNIM]

They can't stop it from going down. There are too many different online shops to keep track of. And after that, there is eBay...

[Applefiend]

It's no biggie I'm drowning in great current gen games and *cough* wouldn't mind missing out on any early hardware shafus.

I'll import a sixaxis though. :)

[frosty]

Ebay won't allow the sale of PS3s for importing emagdnim. They've adopted strict policies for next gen console sales.


And here's another reason to wait... no EU region DVDs either, nor ps1 or ps2 games. If there's ever going to be a PS3 "tard pack", that would be it. An imported system before they launch in Europe.

[section]

I can't join my PSP into Sony Underground because I have a Japanese imported PSP and I live and operate in a continent called Europe. So I'm missing all the supposed demo disks, game demos and all the additional stuff they would put up via their service.

They don't want people to get into situations like this because it's awkward for both ends. But as has been said they can't provide support and services in situations where they aren't in total control of it (different voltages, different operating system options etc. because of an imported device).

[curryking1]

Shamelessly taken from TXB, courtesy dandy lion


http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3901&

Important Notice: Lik-Sang.com Out of Business due to Multiple Sony Lawsuits
Tue Oct 24 2006 21:58:51 Hong Kong Time - Corporate Info

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hong Kong, October 24th of 2006 - Lik-Sang.com, the popular gaming retailer from Hong Kong, has today announced that it is forced to close down due to multiple legal actions brought against it by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sony claimed that Lik-Sang infringed its trade marks, copyright and registered design rights by selling Sony PSP consoles from Asia to European customers, and have recently obtained a judgment in the High Court of London (England) rendering Lik-Sang's sales of PSP consoles unlawful.

As of today, Lik-Sang.com will not be in the position to accept any new orders and will cancel and refund all existing orders that have already been placed. Furthermore, Lik-Sang is working closely with banks and PayPal to refund any store credits held by the company, and the customer support department is taking care of any open transactions such as pending RMAs or repairs and shipping related matters. The staff of Lik-Sang will make sure that nobody will get hurt in the crossfire of this ordeal.

A Sony spokesperson declined to comment directly on the lawsuit against Lik-Sang, but recently went on to tell Gamesindustry.biz that "ultimately, we're trying to protect consumers from being sold hardware that does not conform to strict EU or UK consumer safety standards, due to voltage supply differences et cetera; is not - in PS3's case - backwards compatible with either PS1 or PS2 software; will not play European Blu-Ray movies or DVDs; and will not be covered by warranty".

Lik Sang strongly disagrees with Sony's opinion that their customers need this kind of protection and pointed out that PSP consoles shipped from Lik-Sang contained genuine Sony 100V-240V AC Adapters that carry CE and other safety marks and are compatible world wide. All PSP consoles were in conformity with all EU and UK consumer safety regulations.

Furthermore, Sony have failed to disclose to the London High Court that not only the world wide gaming community in more than 100 countries relied on Lik-Sang for their gaming needs, but also Sony Europe's very own top directors repeatedly got their Sony PSP hard or software imports in nicely packed Lik-Sang parcels with free Lik-Sang Mugs or Lik-Sang Badge Holders, starting just two days after Japan's official release, as early as 14th of December 2004 (more than nine months earlier than the legal action). The list of PSP related Sony Europe orders reads like the who's who of the videogames industry, and includes Ray Maguire (Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Alan Duncan (UK Marketing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Chris Sorrell (Creative Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Rob Parkin (Development Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited), just to name a few.

"Today is Sony Europe victory about PSP, tomorrow is Sony Europe’s ongoing pressure about PlayStation 3. With this precedent set, next week could already be the stage for complaints from Sony America about the same thing, or from other console manufacturers about other consoles to other regions, or even from any publisher about any specific software title to any country they don’t see fit. It’s the beginning of the end... of the World as we know it", stated Pascal Clarysse, formerly known as the Marketing Manager of Lik-Sang.com.

"Blame it on Sony. That's the latest dark spot in their shameful track record as gaming industry leader. The Empire finally 'won', few dominating retailers from the UK probably will rejoice the news, but everybody else in the gaming world lost something today."

This is big news, very, very big news.

I think there were legal complaints by Sony in the PS2 beginning but nothing substantial legally ever came up. This time, it seems, wow, very different. Sony just wiped them clean off the map. If Lik Sang knew about this, then they took the risk and it just went bad for them, and if they didn't know about it, then it was them being ignorant, but then we can at least feel more sorry for them because they had no prior warning.

Either way... HUGE news.

[Nasadus]

Guys, have you seen this (http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3901)?

I think Sony have gone too far this time. I can't believe this has happened.

[yoshaw]

Oooh :doh:, this is gonna be another bad mark on Sony's 2006 wrong doings.


And lik-sang was my only source for getting cheap accessories and controllers imported :XD:

[Goki]

Shit..... I mean stoping imports is one thing, BUT SHUTTING DOWN A WHOLE BUISNESS! THATS MESSED UP POWER.!

[cliffbo]

if you play with fire, then you can't be too surprised if you get your fingers burned. thats business... no qualms with Sony on this one

edit. Sony are going to have online shopping. come on, it was inevitable that they would want to channel sales through that.

[xbdestroya]

Well, when your business *is* imports, there ya go...

[curryking1]

Lol, you're certainly right there xb, sorry for posting as a new thread, I forgot about this one! :doh:

[yoshaw]

Next stop Play-Asia?

I know Z won't be happy about the lik-sang news coz I think he pre-ordered his PS3 from there, ouch! I believe Play-asia will be next on Sony's hit list.

[indiekid4]

^^ Question is, why do u guys (Americans) get it 1st? Why cant we, (This is gonna turn into a school ground fight lol )

Answer is probably the majority are still gonna buy the PS3, and Sony knows it, so they can do it. If people in the EU would show that they would not buy as many PS3 as normal due to being last to getting the machine, then Sony might think twice, but us Euroopeans have shown time after time, were still gonna buy it till its outsold the 1st few weeks.


come on now. Don't be immature (no offense). The PS3 will be coming your way. There are still TONS of PS2 games to play while you wait for the PS3 to arrive. I really wish people would just stop being so greedy and having this I want I want I want additude. The PS3 isn't going anywhere peeps, eventually you will have one and all your troubles will go away. :o)

[Z]

I can't believe it... I just woke up and the first thing I find out is this. I thought it would be only for the PSP section of the business or the portables in general. I tryed logging in, emailing them, checking my pre-order, nothing. but it turned out the entire site has shut down. I have to say, I never saw this one coming. there are other options and other online stores for us, but there is only one Lik-Sang.

I can't but help think they will re-open for business, and I hope they do. this is all happening to fast for me.

Lik-Sang was the only site to ship the official E3 DVD worldwide (outside of N.A.). I got mine and my TGS DVD of the same year rom them. I had PS3 pre-orders including games and accessories. they had the best pricess with great shipping costs and speeds.

farewell Lik-Sang, you will be missed.
I know Z won't be happy about the lik-sang news coz I think he pre-ordered his PS3 from there, ouch! I believe Play-asia will be next on Sony's hit list.
I pre-ordered from Play-Asia as well. but they were my backup plan. I wanted Lik-Sang to live on. I don't know if they will go for Play-Asia next. I think Lik-Sang was the biggest importer in gaming. if they went down, doesn't that leave Play-Asia?
I was searching for the US vesrion of the PS3 and games, but only could find the Japanese versions. I don't want those for language barriers. maybe they will start to comply more with Sony restrictions so as not to be facing the same bleak future Lik-Sang did.

[Sephiroth_VII]

Whis is sad... so sad. I've ordered tons from Lik-sang. They were the best import store...

[cliffbo]

i've never used any of these companies anyway, so it won't effect me. i'll do what i've always done, wait for my local retailer to rip me off...

[OG_Monkey]

Wow shut down. Thats fucked up. Sony didnt have to do that. Damn.

[user friendly]

This is Sony lashing out due to the recent suits against there price comparison chart. Microsoft wasnt pleased with the comparison and now apparently Nintendo is taking the same path. I dont think theres any $ involved I just think they want it taken off.

Chart

http://ps3.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/70395/ps3%20fact%20sheet.jpg

[GTAce]

i've never used any of these companies anyway, so it won't effect me. i'll do what i've always done, wait for my local retailer to rip me off...
Me too. And i must say when Lik-Sang have done illegal actions then its "ok" .
Bad news but Sony cant say "you guys must going out of business" and they say "allright we do this" there must be something where have Lik-Sang done something wrong.

[OG_Monkey]

They just bitcing about dub stuff.

[xbdestroya]

@User Friendly: Your theory is utterly whack. ;)

If people here didn't know that Sony's been pursuing the importers for years, well... here's your wake-up call I guess! They've been going for this result for years now. As for who's right or wrong, neither side is. It's not like Lik-Sang was doing something 'wrong.' But where the gavel falls in the courtroom is what determines whether it's something 'legal' or not, and this time it fell in Sony's favor.

[OG_Monkey]

I guess. Well we still have yes-asia and stuff.

[CrumCon]

well, then i''l import from N.A.

[cliffbo]

In a statement issued to our sister-site GamesIndustry.biz, Sony has denied any responsibility for the closure of Lik-Sang - accusing the online retailer of "sour grapes".

The statement begins by observing that Sony Computer Entertainment has successfully sued Pacific Game Technology, which uses Lik-Sang as one of its trading names, for infringing intellectual property rights.

"Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.
Advertisement

"We would therefore strongly deny that our actions have had anything to do with this website closing (we assume the legal entity is still trading), and would suggest that this release is sour grapes on behalf of Lik-Sang which is aimed to belittle Sony Computer Entertainment and the British judicial system that found against them."

Earlier today, Lik-Sang announced it was going out of business, citing a series of lawsuits filed by Sony as the reason for the closure. The retailer also alleged that several SCE executives purchased import PSP hardware and software on its website.

Sony responded, "The purchasing of PSP consoles by SCE employees would be for investigatory purposes. We would also like to express our surprise at a company releasing personal information about its consumers, as this is contrary to data protection principles around the world."


Sony has a point you know

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=69077

[OG_Monkey]

rofl

[Fazares]

it will be imported...dont worry....

[OG_Monkey]

exactly. Sony cant stop em all. I dont know why the being so press. What are htey up too...

[Fazares]

i would add it will be modded as well so if u want to play bd movies...

[CrumCon]

in europe 20GB version will sell for 499 euro thats about U$630
and 60GB 599 euro, thats U$757

THATS MUCH higher then japanese and N.A retail prices.

[Viper]

Sony seems to be doing all it can to piss gamers off this year.



Question, has Sony been stumbling like this since the recent executive shifting and reoganizations?

[OG_Monkey]

I guess

btw, CrumCon and cliffbo, your avatar and signature...I cant look away...rofl

[cliffbo]

I guess

btw, CrumCon and cliffbo, your avatar and signature...I cant look away...rofl

whats odd is that crums avatar appears to be saying 'bottom please'

[section]

Ah the haters got even more water for their mill. How original.

[yoshaw]

Actually after that statement by Sony, I think it's more of a Lik-sang's fault. Sony has come off clean on this one so I don't see why is it their doing to piss off gamers. They were awarded a payment by the COURT(which is considered the law in majority of the countries IIRC). So yea, that says it I guess.

[cliffbo]

Actually after that statement by Sony, I think it's more of a Lik-sang's fault. Sony has come off clean on this one so I don't see why is it their doing to piss off gamers. They were awarded a payment by the COURT(which is considered the law in majority of the countries IIRC). So yea, that says it I guess.

exactly... but will the fanboys see it this way, or will they want to?

[VG Aficionado]

Lik-Sang isn't closing because of Sony, but because of the court's decision, which means that Lik-Sang have been doing something illegal. If I were Sony, I would file a suit for defamation ;)

[yoshaw]

exactly... but will the fanboys see it this way, or will they want to?

Well, if anyone makes an unnecessary fud over the issue. We can point him to the obvious holes in Lik-Sang's accusations. I think that might be a rational way to tackle such a thing, that is if anyone cares to exploit it beyond requirement. Although, I'm glad Sony came ahead and shunned the accusation themselves. Speaks volumes compared to trying to convince a troll otherwise.

:beer:

[section]

exactly... but will the fanboys see it this way, or will they want to?Depends on the side ;)

Haters hate "$ony" (as original as M$ by the way :D) independent of what they do or don't, that won't change during their company history. There is now tons of "the good and righteous" Wii60 shouters around creating the sh1tstorm and I don't particularly wonder why. But law works how it works.

<self protection from powerful mods off>
<sarcasm>

"Oh how it's cozy to find powerful, wonderful and fascinating, almost tintillating home from Xbox360 console. $ony killed Sega and I f*cking hate them. Besides Bxox360 is all my Wii isn't and can never do technically so I love it. Anything to oppose $ony."
</sarcasm>

Now you can ban me.

[Pumpkin Head]

In a statement issued to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony has denied any responsibility for the closure of Lik-Sang - accusing the online retailer of "sour grapes".

The statement begins by observing that Sony Computer Entertainment has successfully sued Pacific Game Technology, which uses Lik-Sang as one of its trading names, for infringing intellectual property rights.

"Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.

"We would therefore strongly deny that our actions have had anything to do with this website closing (we assume the legal entity is still trading), and would suggest that this release is sour grapes on behalf of Lik-Sang which is aimed to belittle Sony Computer Entertainment and the British judicial system that found against them."

Earlier today, Lik-Sang announced it was going out of business, citing a series of lawsuits filed by Sony as the reason for the closure. The retailer also alleged that several SCE executives purchased import PSP hardware and software on its website.

Sony responded, "The purchasing of PSP consoles by SCE employees would be for investigatory purposes. We would also like to express our surprise at a company releasing personal information about its consumers, as this is contrary to data protection principles around the world."

[masteratt]

Dude that was posted few posts ago....I am seriously in huge doubt lately about weather anyone actually reads threads.
I have come across way too many repetition (i.e: saying what someone said but differently worded) and the same news being posted lately.

Anyway, Sony is not trying to piss gamers off. They are doing business. It's not Sony's fault the gaming community is more nosy than a cheerleader in a highschool.
Let Xbots have their fun. That's seriously out of fashion now. Ever since the PS3 was shown they didn't stfu for one second. YAWN.

[MaceSin]

Sucks, I was going to order Phoenix Wright 2 from them! :censored:

[OnBake Platinum]

^Why would you play a mostly text based game in japanese?

[cliffbo]

Snowstorm ... aaahhh the memories of text based adventures...

Onbake... my eyes... my eyes...

[Kabbage]

Thats what they get. I hate to see misfortune befall anyone, but as someone said... if you walk the razors edge you are bound to get cut eventually.

[MaceSin]

^Why would you play a mostly text based game in japanese?

It has an option to play it in English...

[Applefiend]

S***. I've been buying stuff from Liksang for years. What a bunch of ****s Sony are. If the competition wasn't so crap I'd switch. They're evil.

Shame they couldn't use the non crap lawyers on Immersion instead of good importers.

Aww well, there's always play asia.

Call it as I see it I say. When Sony do something stupid call it, just like the rootkit stuff. Bad Sony! :)

[kaphwan]

I can clearly see how preventing illegal hardware sales is inherently evil.

Yes. It is illegal, indubitably so after this decision by the high court.

I guess everyone will find another way to get around paying full price for things eventually, but for now it's good to see that Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are slightly more likely to actually recoup the billions they lose in research and production costs.

[Nasadus]

Sony's reaction to the acusations (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=20564).

Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.

We would therefore strongly deny that our actions have had anything to do with this website closing (we assume the legal entity is still trading), and would suggest that this release is sour grapes on behalf of Lik-Sang which is aimed to belittle Sony Computer Entertainment and the British judicial system that found against them.

[Applefiend]

Wanting a limited edition Metal Gear PSP and importing it hardly makes you a master criminal, nor does selling it, overcharging in some regions for product hardly makes you an angel. The only guys who bought from Liksang were the hardcore gamers, hurting them will win Sony no favours.

Does amuse me the only cases Sony seem able to win are the uncontested ones. Winning an uncontested case is hardly a legal benchmark.

All I'm saying on the subject guv, rest in peace liksang, I shall be buying my Bleach anime games somewhere else.

[Rizon]

I've always liked Lik-sang, and never heard a bad word about them.
Its a shame sony have sued them into hell. Europe is getting ripped off badly enough as it is, we did have the option of importing products from diff regions. Even if it meant for us not to have a warrenty/regioned dvd player or whatever.
How is importing a games system copyright infringment?
I can see how it affects sales in Europe, being they get less profit on systems. But still. Me personally am fed up of Sony constantly pissing me off. I have always loved the playstation. But the fact they put the ps3 release in Europe way back. Some may argue it isnt way back, but to me it is. I have waited a long time for this.
I can see positives to it being put back, but come on, i want to start playing, get me down to some hardcore gaming asap.
Takes the mick.

[kaphwan]

No, it doesn't make you a "master criminal". But now we'll have a look at the law, clearly defined as a result of this trial. It does make you a criminal, and makes them criminals, no matter how much either of you rationalise that you're doing right.

Lik Sang has created this privacy statement (http://www.lik-sang.com/master.php?navbar=Privacy&inc=privacy.inc) in order to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy.

I can't find anywhere in that privacy statement a clause saying "If you sue our company, we have the right to use privately disclosed data in a mud-slinging campaign."

[hevymac]

I can't find anywhere in that privacy statement a clause saying "If you sue our company, we have the right to use privately disclosed data in a mud-slinging campaign."
Right on man!
:hugegrin:

[SuperLuigiBros]

This sucks, I was just about to use Lik-Sang to import some stuff. But there are heaps of other import websites, how come Lik-Sang got targeted?

[cliffbo]

a little more info

Originally Posted by Lik-Sang's marketing manager Pascal Clarysse
First of all, Sony's claim that Lik-Sang didn't turn up and therefore incurred no legal cost is absolute nonsense. Lik-Sang's legal representatives spent over a year to vigorously contest the UK's court jurisdiction until the last moment, produced witness statements and documents, and replied to Sony's allegations about parallel importation and copyright infringement. Plenty of documents were sent back and forth from Hong Kong all the way to the UK, and it was also argued to the London High Court that Sony has launched duplicate actions in different countries, but all to no avail. The court case in Hong Kong is still ongoing, and Lik-Sang as well as its lawyers spent hundreds and hundreds of hours trying to catch up with Sony's mass of documents and claims. As a result, two different High Court judges at different occasions expressed their surprise about the unusual high legal expenses claimed by Sony's law firm.

Through their lawsuits, Sony forced the relatively small company behind Lik-Sang.com into a bizarre world of lawyers charging more than GBP 380 (EUR 550+) per hour (!), and if you believe it or not, these guys don't come alone, they need their (not necessarily much cheaper) assistants and clerks around them to get something done.

The UK courts ruling that outlaws what Lik-Sang and the gaming community enjoyed ever since, and the imminent direct threat from Sony about yet a third lawsuit and a PlayStation 3 injunction, will absolutely not make things easier and fairer for anyone involved.

Denying boldly any correlation between Sony's legal actions and Lik-Sang's closure must probably be cynical sarcasm on their behalf. Unfortunately for Lik-Sang, the current situation is neither a joke, nor a game: A bunch of people, including two highly pregnant women, have lost their basis for existence because of corporate lawsuits for something that is not only regarded as lawful in Hong Kong, it is considered to be beneficial for consumers (free trade). And a huge amount of gamers all around the globe lost a place on the Internet that they were enjoying.

Lik-Sang is not involved into any other lawsuits apart with Sony, and, while they "strongly denied that their actions have had anything to do with [Lik-Sang's] closing" in their statement, they still had the time to send a 15 pages fax less than 24h later, lining out the terms of the order made by the UK court last week and asking Lik-Sang to pay the sum of GBP 100,000 (EUR 150,000) just for their legal costs before 4pm at November 1. By the way, the fax also includes a penal notice, nicely reminding the reader that not obeying the order (which means shipping any PlayStation branded product to any country in Europe) may mean sequestration of all assets and, in worst case, imprisonment for the directors of the company. The judge also ordered that 'there be an inquiry as to the damages suffered' by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in the UK and in any other member state of the European Union, based on each EU country's own rules.

Finally, Sony's unbelievable statement that all purchase orders made by their own directors 'would' be for investigatory purposes speaks volumes, and also doesn't explain why these and all the other orders placed by Sony officials were not revealed to the High Court (despite what is called duty for 'full and frank disclosure' in court proceedings, as Lik-Sang understands it as laymen).

Oddly enough, all investigatory orders that were revealed by Sony to the High Court in London and to the High Court in Hong Kong started much later than the purchases placed by their directors. Further to this, Sony Europe's own Legal and Business Affairs Manager signed a witness statement in the High Court of London that says that Sony Europe 'became aware' of parallel imported PSP consoles in the UK and in the rest of Europe only in March 2005, and the same witness statement presents a trainee solicitor from Sony's lawyers as the one placing such investigatory orders during May 2005.

On top of that, more than a half year after the named Sony officials started to receive their PSP purchase orders from Lik-Sang, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (managed by the very same directors) sent a letter to Hong Kong claiming that they just 'recently discovered' that Lik-Sang is offering PSP consoles and games to customers in the UK (United Kingdom) and that they would be entitled for a court injunction.

The three directors that were revealed in Tuesday's press release are very important and directly linked to Sony's lawsuits against Lik-Sang. A copy of their purchase orders, along with a fine selection of others, was produced by Lik-Sang's legal representatives to Sony Europe during the Hong Kong High Court discovery proceedings long before the trial in the UK took place. No purchase orders of non-management level Sony employees were revealed, not in court or otherwise.

UK news website Spong.com tried to call all three of the listed Sony directors, just to learn that 66% of them are not in their office or are on holidays this week. They are probably still very exhausted from placing all these investigatory orders for the trainees of their legal department…

My final words: Sony should be proud of having such a die-hard import gamers community rushing to buy their products and supporting them with a passion. Instead, they march all over us.

http://ps3.qj.net/Lik-Sang-Setting-it-straight/pg/49/aid/70702

[Z]

so they could still do business world over discluding Europe?
I also don't think having Sony workers ordering means anything nor should it be brought up. SOny didn't officially pre-order. it was some of the people who work there. you can bet there are alot of people with highprofiles that pre-order online from this site and others.

and man, you don't want to cross Sony. they can be brutal...

[cliffbo]

One thing we need to get straight here is that Sony are a business after all, and that sometimes means getting serious. I think we PS fans have been spoilt a little. we were fortunate to get a guy like KK, who had a dream, to create the PS1. this set Sony out from the other companies, because rather than just having a callous business philosophy, KK transformed Sony into a company that actually did care about games and not just profit. they aimed it at a 19 year old demographic in order to reach the largest possible userbase (and with great success) of course this was to make money, but Sony also realise that we the gamers are not stupid and that we are very critical of companies that appear to short change us in order to make more money. like i said though, its a two way deal: Sony give us a product that we can be proud of and deliver stellar games. We give Sony our money.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

and man, you don't want to cross Sony. they can be brutal...

Yeah just ask nintendo, HAHAHAHAHHA.
Sorry, it was wide open for that one.

[Dorbin]

I don't like this at all, but whatever...what's done is done.

Yeah, and I'm sure those units were ordered for "investigatory purposes"...riiiight.

[LiquidEagle]

meh, I really don't see the big deal in this. I think Lik-Sang is acting like a child in a lot of its press releases, and it is rather awkward that some Sony directors purchased from Lik-Sang, but the bottom line is that Lik-Sang was breaking the law, and that entitled Sony to sue, so they did. I'm sure 80% of the people who are behind Lik-Sang on this (if not more) are just there to be on the opposite side of Sony, "the big guy."