Sony sueing lik-sang !!!!111

**shizzle** · August 8th, 2005, 11:12

From psp updates:

"We have just received this press release from Lik-Sang. I have colored parts that I thought were important. Otherwise it was unedited. Let me add a note that we fully back Lik-Sang.com, and as a Hong Kong resident I can verify that they are operating 100% within the law. Lik-Sang.com will continue to be our #1 choice and recommended console retailer. If there is anything we can do to help, you guys have my contact info.

Hong Kong, August 8, 2005 - Lik-Sang.com, leading online retailer for videogame systems, games and cutting-edge gaming gear, was today informed that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc commenced legal actions against Lik-Sang.com in the High Court of Hong Kong for selling PSP consoles.

Sony of Europe alleges that Lik-Sang.com has breached Sony's Trade Mark rights by offering the PlayStation Portable (PSP) for sale to customers in the UK, and seeks a court order that would prevent Lik-Sang.com from selling or offering systems, games and accessories to customers in the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA).

Sony further claims copyright infringement and damages by mirroring the freely available PSP manual on the news section of Lik-Sang.com during early June. Sony UK warned Lik-Sang.com at June 14 to take legal actions, should the manual and any hypertext links to Sony's web site not be removed. Lik-Sang.com complied with Sony's request to remove the manual immediately.

This lawsuit comes as a total surprise to Lik-Sang.com, given that the laws of Hong Kong are clear when it comes to parallel trade. Hong Kong's legislation is based on the fact that allowing parallel and free trade will restore natural competition and benefit consumers with lower prices. Hong Kong, one of the pioneering countries respecting worldwide exhaustion of trademark rights, allows free trade once an item entered the market for sale.

The company running Lik-Sang.com, Pacific Game Technology (Holding) Limited, is fully registered and operating in Hong Kong and has no ties with the UK. The company is currently looking into available options to combat Sony's cynical attempt to disrupt the successful online business again, gain total market control, and garner publicity.

"Lik-Sang's sales are an unlawful interference with Sony's economic interests", stated Sony's legal correspondence. The case relies on Sony's claim, that Lik-Sang.com has advertised the PlayStation Portable products in a "dishonest manner". Lik-Sang.com will do its best to fight Sony's powers and appreciates any support from employees, friends and even customers.

"This is the most aggressive move against its own customers that a console manufacturer has ever taken in the 30 year history of videogames", says Pascal Clarysse, Marketing Manager for Lik-Sang.com. "Sony wants to completely cut hardcore gamers away from items released in Japan or anywhere else outside their own country. A very active part of the gaming community has been enjoying Japanese gaming culture for over two decades, and that's what the Empire is now willing to destroy."

Daily business is unaffected by this lawsuit. Customers in the UK and elsewhere don't have to worry about negative side effects or disruption of service. Shipping, Customer Support and Ordering Processing are fully operational and Lik-Sang.com remains open as usual. The sites news section will be updated as soon as the situation evolves."

Why are sony doing this. (Akio morita) sony founder would be turning in his grave. But nothing can stop his evil preceeder:

**D-Boy** · August 8th, 2005, 12:45

Haha that picture is a nice touch, sums him up. I'm lucky since I already got my psp shipped to me in the UK but this is very unfortunate for everyone else and for lik-sang themselves who are actually doing a lot for the european gaming community.

**leggy** · August 8th, 2005, 14:33

Sony are acting like complete idiots over this matter.

I still fail to see why they have such a problem with outlets selling PSP's.

BTW - comparing the CEO of Sony to Hitler is a disgrace!

**shizzle** · August 8th, 2005, 17:31

i didn't make the pic, but found it most hillarious: HAHAHAHAHAHA. and the like

it was on the lik sang forums.

**TMG** · August 8th, 2005, 17:46

Alot to read. Anyways Ive already pre-ordered my ceramic white psp, is this going to effect my shipment?

**shadowprophet** · August 8th, 2005, 17:49

I think you may have a point with that pic shizzle, thats deep bro.
I wonder how long it will be before $ony rounds up us psp owners with homebrew on our systems,and put us in concentration camps

Damn with sonys actions there acting worse then Nintendont ever did back when Nintendont ruled with an iron fist.

I used to like $ony but somthigs happened to them,
I guess its true,absolute power corrupts absolutly.

**LordVox** · August 8th, 2005, 17:58

This is just wrong. I understood when Nintndo wanted lik-sang to stop selling GBA development kits, or if $ony wanted them to stop selling modchipz or things like that, but this is just insane. What is osny tying to achive? Do they just want to stop it NOW, thant they are finally shipping to the EU? Is this about region encoding of UMD movies? It all seems completely assinine!!!!
to LIK-SANG....good luck, our thoughs (and all common sense) are with you!

**geise69** · August 8th, 2005, 19:16

I don't know why everyone thinks it's about homebrew/piracy? I feel that it's more of a localization thing. Sony is forking out alot of money for the systems to be manufactured for the UK and have already suffered a loss in system sales. These systems that import stores are selling make the profit not sony. Granted, sony got the money when all the UK stores ordered them for their shops, but with everyone buying the sytems from import stores there's going to be fewer people buying UK psp units when they hit in a couple weeks. So another loss for sony. (not that they have enough money anyways) I think what sony is doing is wrong, but I still feel that this isn't about homebrew/piracy. This just makes them look bad and seems to be the trend for them over the past couple of years.

**candrews** · August 8th, 2005, 19:17

i bet this has more to do with region coding for umd movies sony probally fears that if EU imports from japan sony would loose the EU region umd movie market bc everyone will have jp psp and the movie company would not want to distbute in europe bc of it and they could loose money in umd sales.

**BlackxKnight** · August 8th, 2005, 20:25

Originally Posted by candrews

i bet this has more to do with region coding for umd movies sony probally fears that if EU imports from japan sony would loose the EU region umd movie market bc everyone will have jp psp and the movie company would not want to distbute in europe bc of it and they could loose money in umd sales.

i thought that the PSP had no region....so that wouldnt be a factor.