Sony Demands $188,000 from Lik-Sang by Nov. 1

[wraggster]

Via Gamepro (http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=84749)


Shuttered online game retailer Lik-sang tells us that Sony is demanding $188,000 in legal fees by the first of November.
Earlier this week the site posted a notice advising customers that it was "out of business due to multiple Sony lawsuits."

"Blame it on Sony. That's the latest dark spot in their shameful track record as gaming industry leader. The Empire finally 'won'," the statement ended.

In a subsequent e-mail sent to IDG News Service on Friday, Pascal Clarysse, marketing director for the Web site, said SCEI is demanding the payment of £100,000 (US$188,000) in legal fees by Nov. 1.

"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," said Clarysse in the statement.

The site also, perhaps somewhat embarrassingly for Sony, alleged that four senior Sony Computer Entertainment Europe managers had used Lik-sang.com to purchase PSPs shortly after the Japanese launch. Sony in Tokyo declined to answer questions on the issue citing a policy of not commenting on pending or completed legal action.

The conclusion of the court case comes with some irony. As SCEI succeeded in shutting down an unauthorized sales channel to European consumers, it was also revising shipment forecasts for PSP from 12 million units to 9 million units because of lackluster demand for the games machine.

[gymnotropic]

Wow. So Sony can higher the best lawyers and pay them whatever amount, and then when they win the case (they knew they would win it or at least run Lik-sang dry of cash, because even if their court cases weren't even valid, Lik-sang still had to hire lawyers which would cost them money) they would have their "enemy", so to say, pay for their own legal fees?

[shadowhawk22]

Hey everyone in Europe that is effected by this LikSang closing-- Hoe about you all just not purchase any Sony products? WOuldn't that really show Sony that doing this stuff isn't tolerated? I say we all revolt against Sony (meaning bashing them at all opportunities, and simply NOT purchasing ANY SONY products).

I for one won't purchase any. I hope they go out of business acting like this. Foolish Sony deserves no better...

[Rocksil]

this really sucks i wanted to using lik-sang next month i just got my debit card. SONY sucks

[emuking]

sony can suck my well you know what, die sony!

[Rocksil]

sony can suck my well you know what, die sony!

sony shouldnt die they should stop updating games and stop causing problems 4 company trying to spread gamimg as far as possible

they suck

[JKKDARK]

it is nothing for Sony :p

[Mariopop87]

Oh go away $ony!

They just wont stop. They only care about themselves.

[moogster66]

I am almost embarassed that I own $ony stuff!

[luis_05]

I am almost embarassed that I own $ony stuff!

yeah me too, those dudes arent dudes no more, i can believe they would do that!! oh well, unless we start a revolution then Sony will continue to do this

[shadowprophet]

So a hundred and eighty eight thousand dollars put them under the table huh :confused:

I somehow figured lik-Sang was a bigger buisness then that:confused:

[jwilds73]

the 188k is just what Sony is asking for that doesn't include any fee's Lik-Sang paid out for it's own representation and fee's.

[pibs]

what happen to the old saying, no matter u win or loose its how u play the game, lik-sang wus just playing the game. i guess $ony sued the person who made the saying ><

[thumpa]

does anybody know if def jam vendetta 3 is going to come out
on xbox 360 because after the ish sony has pulled lately I don't want a ps3

[shadowprophet]

But. If sony won this lawsuit, Theres actuelly a good chance there in the right this time. Ive did some buisness with lik-sang they where a great buisness.
But seriously, What have we really lost, There are countless places on the net to find everything one would want, as for lik-sang. I mean seriously, I know people want to use this for fule in there sony witch hunts, But really Who here has actuelly lost there ability to import software/ hardware. who here has lost there ability to pre order anything they could possibly want? who here has lost anything but respect for sony ? Seriously. for lik-sang this is bad news. For us. not so much.


Just an opinion. SP ~God of evil intentions

[shadowhawk22]

Prophet. It is clear that we as the consumer win in the end, since demand creates equal supply. But Lik Sang stands for something. Lik Sang is just a company trying to import games for us, and Sony sues them for helping spread Sony products, and does so in a cruel and overly agressive fashion. I realize we can find products elsewhere, that's not the issue... The issue is that Sony has damaged its relationship with some of its most dire-hard fans. I have been hurt, and those I know who USED to like Sony have been hurt. Companys like thsi don't deserve out business...

[mesosade]

i can'r beleive sony...what they gonna do if they don't pay up? shut em down? OH WAIT THEY DID!

[Adrenalin]

yeah me too, those dudes arent dudes no more, i can believe they would do that!! oh well, unless we start a revolution then Sony will continue to do this

The revolution has already Begun!

(u should all get this)

[GobboFett]

Just kick 'em when their down, hey Sony? Not only did they win this frivolous lawsuit by default (yes, not a real win :p) they want as much money out of Lk-Sang as soon as possible like some kind of leech. Well, I can say that I snub Sony successfully by having a 1.50 PSP with Dev-Hook and a mod-chipped PS1 (for imports).

This is definitely going to be an event that goes in Video Gaming history, the bad history that is...

[MikeDX]

Well..

BLAME CANADA!

[PSPCulture]

yeah me too, those dudes arent dudes no more, i can believe they would do that!! oh well, unless we start a revolution then Sony will continue to do this

I wasn't aware that the Sony were ever 'Dudes' - I aways assumed they were a big assed company looking to maximise its profits whilst minimising its costs.

Lik-Sang found a way to make money off the back of Sony's products, they exploited this for a while, and have now had to cease their activities.

Imagine, if you will, that you are a company making an electronic product. It costs you $10million to develop. You figure out the volume you need to sell, and at what price in each global market to cover that and the prodcutions costs and make some profit for your shareholders.

You then find that company B does nothing other than buy your product in bulk in one market, and sells it in another, undercutting your price sufficiently to affect your sales to that market.

How can company B undercut your prices? It simply doesn't have to cover both the development and production costs of the unit, so its margins on each unit sold can be incredibly small, its still a profit to them.

Why do different markets have different prices - because at the end of the day, you charge the amount the consumer is willing to pay. Same reason why a cars in the UK are more expensive than the USA / Europe, if people go out and buy them, incentive to reduce the price isn't there.

If Sony cannot cover its development and production costs sufficiently to make a reasonable profit, it cannot invest in new development work. Therefore you get no PS3, PSP2 etc etc.

I wish this issue was a clear cut as everyone seems to think, and that Sony is the big bad wolf chasing down the little lambs because it can, but in reality its a damn sight more complex than that.

From the man on the streets point of view, losing a place to get products cheaply is bad, and I can understand that, but demonising a company for wishing to protect its bottom line makes no sense.

[Darksaviour69]

the usally reason companies give for higher prices in the uk is "transport costs are higher" which is true to a point, but its really over used, international companies allway mark up for the uk because they know it will sell, (i remember songs were dearer for the uk site of itunes, but they got in deep shit for that)

over all the uk government and more so the eu parliament are trying to stop these unnecessary price hikes. I would guess if this case had a high enough profile, something would be done to stop sony making a monopoly in Europe (ps3 wise)

[mr_nick666]

I am almost embarassed that I own $ony stuff!

A sad truth :( Ive said it before and I'll say it again - I feel the PSP may be my last $ony purchase... Damn them and their evil corporate ways :mad:

[Gray Fox]

Wots with all this fuz bout lik-sang?`If they as I understood it, sold japanese psps illegally to european people then they broke the law, that means the right things was to shut down lik-sang. Allthough I cant really c whats wrong with selling japanese psps to europe? Ive newer heard bout lik-sang be4 but it sounds as they sell things....

[irongiant]

PSPCulture is spot on with his post. Lik Sang took advantage of the cheaper prices abroad and made profit by piggy backing on Sony products. Yes it's frustrating for importers but Sony have the right to protect their investments just like any other company has, Nintendo don't have a good track record with importers either but people quickly forget that and try to paint Sony as an evil empire.

They've only got a small number of units to release in their home territory so why shouldn't they protect that? Those 80,000 or 100,000 are meant for Japanese gamers and not to be shipped all over the world, they have every right to stop importers.

The 15 year old posters here seem to like throwing their toys out of the pram at every opportunity, comments like 'Im hurt by Sony' are just pathetic.

[quzar]

odds are sony will simply never see the money. if lik-sang is well set up at all, they will be able to dissolvewith the owners pulling whatever money existed out for themselves.

[F9zDark]

I wasn't aware that the Sony were ever 'Dudes' - I aways assumed they were a big assed company looking to maximise its profits whilst minimising its costs.

Lik-Sang found a way to make money off the back of Sony's products, they exploited this for a while, and have now had to cease their activities.

Imagine, if you will, that you are a company making an electronic product. It costs you $10million to develop. You figure out the volume you need to sell, and at what price in each global market to cover that and the prodcutions costs and make some profit for your shareholders.

You then find that company B does nothing other than buy your product in bulk in one market, and sells it in another, undercutting your price sufficiently to affect your sales to that market.

How can company B undercut your prices? It simply doesn't have to cover both the development and production costs of the unit, so its margins on each unit sold can be incredibly small, its still a profit to them.

Why do different markets have different prices - because at the end of the day, you charge the amount the consumer is willing to pay. Same reason why a cars in the UK are more expensive than the USA / Europe, if people go out and buy them, incentive to reduce the price isn't there.

If Sony cannot cover its development and production costs sufficiently to make a reasonable profit, it cannot invest in new development work. Therefore you get no PS3, PSP2 etc etc.

I wish this issue was a clear cut as everyone seems to think, and that Sony is the big bad wolf chasing down the little lambs because it can, but in reality its a damn sight more complex than that.

From the man on the streets point of view, losing a place to get products cheaply is bad, and I can understand that, but demonising a company for wishing to protect its bottom line makes no sense.

Sony loses money on Consoles no matter what company sells them for them. Also, the standard retail model dictates that Sony already 'got paid' for the PSPs that Lik-Sang sold (Lik-Sang orders PSPs from Sony to meet the demand on the users who shop at Lik-Sang; Sony gets money, Lik-Sang gets PSPs).

Not to mention, the more people who have PSPs, the more people buying games. The more people buying games, the more money Sony makes.

Sony was just trying to protect its investment in PS3s. In the UK PS3s are said to be selling for 2-3 HUNDRED MORE USD than they are anywhere else...

[Baboon]

A sad truth :( Ive said it before and I'll say it again - I feel the PSP may be my last $ony purchase... Damn them and their evil corporate ways :mad:

I'm afraid I'm with you there.

$ony has turned into Microsoft! :( ...the law is an ass ...and just for the privilege of living in the UK you have to pay extortionate tax on everything. ...bah humbug. :mad:

[quzar]

Sony loses money on Consoles no matter what company sells them for them. Also, the standard retail model dictates that Sony already 'got paid' for the PSPs that Lik-Sang sold (Lik-Sang orders PSPs from Sony to meet the demand on the users who shop at Lik-Sang; Sony gets money, Lik-Sang gets PSPs).

Not to mention, the more people who have PSPs, the more people buying games. The more people buying games, the more money Sony makes.

Sony was just trying to protect its investment in PS3s. In the UK PS3s are said to be selling for 2-3 HUNDRED MORE USD than they are anywhere else...

I think the problem comes in when sony is charging their retaillers a significant amount more for pal (or european, however their naming scheme works) PSPs than for ntsc-j (japanese, or maybe general asian) PSPs. Then a company like lik-sang really stands to impact their profit margin in europe.

I'm not srue how they are set up, but that could end up reflecting extremely poorly on european sales of the system, even though their marketing and whatnot is doing it's job (getting people to buy the system).

[Gray Fox]

Um why would people buy a japanase psp anyways? A european would b better? I remember a store here in norway a game shop sold japanese psps be4 the release date of the psp, is that illegal as well? That is selling japanese psps to europeans sounds pretty much like what lik-sang did.

[ArugulaZ]

Here's an idea, Sony. Why don't YOU pay the judgment awarded to Immersion Technologies before you start demanding court fees from everybody else? *******s.

JR

[mr_nick666]

Um why would people buy a japanase psp anyways? A european would b better?

The Japanese PSP was available earlier than in Europe and it has a superior LCD screen (Sharp rather than Samsung).... Other than that its exactly the same as all other PSPs! :eek: (I have a Japanese 1.5 myself :D )

[Rockman_Joey]

I live in the UK. Its a huge pain in the ass now because they are going to be strict on other sellers in Asia and around the world.

I use a Canadian retailer for my U.S Imports and Play-Asia although they dont sell PSP related items to the European Union because of Lik-Sang.

I'll be really bothered if I can't import the great Japan and North American only releases such as Street Fighter III Third Strike which aint available for the UK PlayStation 2, SNK's Fighting games which are released in Japan and other kick ass titles.

If PS3 is region free, that will be great. I am however still getting a European PlayStation 3 because it is a pricy piece of kit and if it breaks, I can get it replaced easily.

My PSP however is Japanese (1.5) and I'm not too bothered if it breaks as I know a repair person near my house who fixes PSP's so theres my cover plus it isnt as expensive as the PlayStation 3.

I personally wouldnt want to import a PS3 as the shipping could be expensive, the console's price will inflate when they are available and I dont want it to break coz if it breaks, It aint covered and loads of money would have gone towards a few hours of entertainment and then a broken PS3.

But onto the subject, its a shame Lik-Sang are out of business, I used them quite a lot but hey Business is Business I guess.

[Cloud_35]

Amen, man

What's wrong eith Sony!!??? Haven't they got enough money???

I was gonna import the UK version of Crisis Core by Lik-Sang, but now...Well, what else can we do?

[xsimmonsx]

**** Sony!! I bought my psp for one thing only, emulation. I've owned 1 original psp game since launch (GTA) and that was sold when I no longer needed the disk to boot up homebrew (2.6 down to 1.5).
They're moaning about continued poor psp sales yet they've just shut down one of the busiest import game sites? Nice move dickheads, way to keep them sales falling!

[Basil Zero]

they should of asked for more, than they could pay back all the debt for the batteries of the laptops lol