Lik-sang closes due to continued legal action by Sony.

[Sephiroth_VII]

Dear valued customer,

unfortunately, Lik Sang is forced to close its virtual doors for good. This
comes as a consequence of the several legal actions brought on us by Sony.
For more information on the situation, please point your browser to the
following link:
(Article in next quote)

Therefore, as soon as humanly possible, we will cancel all existing orders,
including yours, and issue refunds where necessary.

Please note that it may take anywhere from a few days up to a week or two
for refunds to be processed by PayPal, your bank or your credit card
company, so please don't worry if you don't see it immediately on your
balance statement. You can rest assured that Lik-Sang is monitoring the
situation closely with all involved parties. No single customer will be
caught in the crossfire of this ordeal.

We are sorry to have to go, and we wish to thank you sincerely your support
over the past decade.

Warm regards and a big THANK YOU from the entire Hong Kong crew.

Team Lik-Sang

Source (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/Sephiroth_VII/PS3/Lik-sang.jpg)

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
[B]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - OUT OF BUSINESS NOTICE[/U]

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

This is a sad day for all importers...:cry2: The place from who most of us received our PSP's months before it's US or EU release date, is now closed.

[D3adcell]

Yeah this news sucks. Though I have never bought anything from liksang they had some accessories I was interested in. I know they had alot of adapters and VGA boxes and things of that nature.

I don't see why sony would get upset about imports either. Surely consumers of lik-sang know that they will not be covered by warranty in another country etc.

I guess they can never shut down Ebay though.

[Viper]

Wow.

Does the giant feel better now that it squished that little bug?

[IEatFriedPikmin]

one more reason for me to hate sony.

i got my media player for my DS from Lik-sang

[Fats]

Wow, I was never expecting Lik-Sang to go down... A shame indeed.

[gljvd]

Sucks alot . Sony just wanted UK gamers to pay thier premiums on systems like hte psp and didn't want them to get thier stuff cheaper from other places .

I was just going to get the media player for the ds from them. Now i'm fucked

anyone know a good importer ?

[frosty]

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. (This means, they were not forced to close their doors at all, but simply chose to)

"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."

Lik-Sang are just crying like little bitches. Not to mention it's only in Britain where this judgement has been issued, not the entire world. And it's only Sony products involved, not everything. So, they lose the ability to ship one companies' product to one country and suddenly they have to shut down forever? Bullshit.

[gljvd]

Lik-Sang are just crying like little bitches because sony got the laws changed in sonys favor to prevent Lik-Sang from doing what sites like ebay allow people to do ?

I don't think you get the implications this ruling has and what it will do to importers. Now your at the mercy of sony to port a game to every territory for you to play it as its now illegal in Europe to import games to customers from other locations .

[frosty]

Um, Ebay doesn't allow you to do that anymore. They just changed all their rules regarding importing consoles.

[frosty]

And it is not illegal in Europe to import games. You've blown that way out of proportion. A judge in BRITAIN ruled in favor of Sony's lawsuit. He did not make any law whatsoever. And that only covers one country in EU. There are many more that still are not even affected by the ruling. Sony has every right to do this, as a quality control issue. I wouldn't want systems being sent somewhere where they couldn't play local DVD and BD movies because of the region coding, nor PS1 or PS2 games for the same reason.

[gljvd]

Um, Ebay doesn't allow you to do that anymore. They just changed all their rules regarding importing consoles.


Funny , I just sold a gamecube from the states to london last month .


And it is not illegal in Europe to import games. You've blown that way out of proportion. A judge in BRITAIN ruled in favor of Sony's lawsuit. He did not make any law whatsoever. And that only covers one country in EU. There are many more that still are not even affected by the ruling.


Sony will keep going untill its illegal all over the world .

What you think sony started this just for one county ?

Please


Sony like hte others are an evil coporation that just want more money.



Edit. Oh wait just noticed who i was talking to. Your right Frosty sony is god , they never do anything wrong , all praise sony !

[frosty]

Funny , I just sold a gamecube from the states to london last month .

They just enacted the rules a couple weeks ago. I'll see if I can find the thread...


Sony will keep going untill its illegal all over the world .


Then I guess they'll just have to import Nintendo and MS products, huh! A far cry from going out of business. And there's an obvious reason to do it. Sony doesn't make any more money off the console being sold there than they do if it's imported. (the higher prices are from taxes, not Sony) Let me repeat: Sony has every right to do this, as a quality control issue. I wouldn't want systems being sent somewhere where they couldn't play local DVD and BD movies because of the region coding, nor PS1 or PS2 games for the same reason.

[frosty]

Here you go: http://forums.e-mpire.com/showthread.php?t=63318&highlight=ebay

Now, this doesn't affect you from selling your console to someone else, as it shouldn't. What it does do is prevent importers from snapping up pre-order and retail launch units and selling them overseas.

[gljvd]

Here you go: http://forums.e-mpire.com/showthread.php?t=63318&highlight=ebay

Now, this doesn't affect you from selling your console to someone else, as it shouldn't. What it does do is prevent importers from snapping up pre-order and retail launch units and selling them overseas.


which is diffrent from the lik sing stuff . Thank you come again .


Then I guess they'll just have to import Nintendo and MS products, huh! A far cry from going out of business. And there's an obvious reason to do it. Sony doesn't make any more money off the console being sold there than they do if it's imported. (the higher prices are from taxes, not Sony) Let me repeat: Sony has every right to do this, as a quality control issue. I wouldn't want systems being sent somewhere where they couldn't play local DVD and BD movies because of the region coding, nor PS1 or PS2 games for the same reason.


Not if sony sues every importer out of existance (esp the good ones with good service)

[frosty]

LOL. If Sony goes on a suing spree like you imply, then every importer will simply quit importing Sony products, not go out of business. You act as if every importer in the world relies solely on Sony products to stay alive (as does Lik-Sang, lol)

[gljvd]

LOL. If Sony goes on a suing spree like you imply, then every importer will simply quit importing Sony products, not go out of business. You act as if every importer in the world relies solely on Sony products to stay alive (as does Lik-Sang, lol)

are you allways this dense ?

If sony goes on a sueing spree and wins the law suits then the companys will go bankrupt paying the money which is what happened with LIk-Sang . They were sued more than they could pay and thus are shutting down because they have no money to pay the lawsuit with .


Do you understand or are you going to continue trolling in sonys defense . I'm sure in the sony forums therei s already a thread bashing Lik-Sang so why not just do it there with your peers

[IEatFriedPikmin]

jvd, www.playasia.com is a good one.

[gljvd]

thanks

[frosty]

Dude, you are the dense one here. Even if Lik-Sang doesn't have the money to pay Sony, and they were forced to shut down (which I highly doubt), all the others have to do is stop selling Sony products and they are in the clear. I have nothing against Lik-Sang, but I also know Sony has the right to stop this for the reasons I cited earlier. I can't help but find it ammusing that I'm being called a troll by someone who was banned from the Sony boards for trolling.

[Lucent Beam]

F*ck.
I love Lik-sang. That sucks.

.....

[gljvd]

Dude, you are the dense one here. Even if Lik-Sang doesn't have the money to pay Sony, and they were forced to shut down (which I highly doubt), all the others have to do is stop selling Sony products and they are in the clear. I have nothing against Lik-Sang, but I also know Sony has the right to stop this for the reasons I cited earlier. I can't help but find it ammusing that I'm being called a troll by someone who was banned from the Sony boards for trolling.

No you are dense . Sony can now go after anyone that imported psps to Britan all the way up tll the launch of them in japan and na . Sony can and will sue for lost profits and using thier trade marks illegaly . It doesn't matter if the companys just stoped right now. They will still get sued and loose because it is now the law there that this is illegal.

Do you still not understand ?

[D3adcell]

Lets both stop attacking each other. Sony will not go after people that purchased imported systems. Though they can try to have imports stopped in the US and other countries. I doubt that judges in the US would be so eager to side with sony.

[Teh Roxor!]

I've always used Play-Asia, but Lik-Sang had more weird little utilities from what I saw. What a shame.

[Zeep]

I doubt that judges in the US would be so eager to side with sony.

Actually, I believe there's a specific law in the US that once you own something (ie, once Lik-Sang owns a PSP) you're allowed to sell it.

Also, frosty, though Lik-Sang probably could have handled the situation better, Sony is stil the root cause. No other company bitches that their hardware/software is imported before it comes out in certain regions, and they certainly don't make up BS lies about why they don't want it happening.

[Phoenix]

I used Play Asia.