Sony Bullies Peripheral Manufacturer Into Refunds

The PlayStation5 from Sony Computer Company is arriving on November 12th. It’ll mark one of the most influential consoles released since the PS3, with notable upgrades to framerates & ray tracing coming with the PS5. Considering the popularity associated with the PS5, it’s not surprising that third-party companies have begun creating peripherals. When it became known that the faceplates for Sony’s PS5 were removable, it was anticipated that a third-party would release customized options similar to phone skins. The 1st manufacturer to sustain this product has received complaints from lawyers at Sony Computer Company.

The 1st complaint was issued to “PlateStation5.com” weeks ago, where Sony lawyers requested that their website name be altered & that it’s a similarity to the PS5 intellectual property cannot be permitted. PlateStation5.com immediately changed their name to CustomizeMyPlates.com, hoping that by acting on good faith it’d be enough to sustain a viable coworking relationship. However, lawyers would return demanded that the manufacturer stop selling their third-party faceplates & peripherals. Threats regarding court were made & demands for an immediate return of consumer funds were also required. CustomizeMyPlates.com didn’t have any other option to obey these demands & requests.

The Interviews

Individuals operating CustomizeMyPlates.com haven’t been identified during recent interviews. Certain outlets were permitted to discuss the issue with site leaders, under the request that identities be kept private. These unknown individuals expressed that due diligence was sustained before launching their websites & that because Sony’s faceplates were still pending patents, nothing illegal was being maintained by offering the third-party option.

Another leading force behind CustomizeMyPlates.com noted that 24 hours after launching their services, Sony lawyers contacted their site email & claimed trademark infringements had occurred. Site leaders believed that altering their trademarked website would eliminate any challenges moving forward.

Sony lawyers would recontact these individuals, informing them that under their discretion & opinion, faceplates are also the intellectual property of Sony until the pending patents are approved. That gesture was illegal & showed the bullish nature of Sony in recent years. For these men that spent thousands starting manufacturing, building the website & taking orders, it’s a substantial loss.