Topic: Sony Puts Lik-Sang Out of Business

[Pale]

The popular online import games store is done accepting orders as of NOW.

Lik-Sang.com out of business due to multiple Sony lawsuits    

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."

[Rhoq]

Fu*k Sony.

[JonLeung]

Another reason to hate Sony.

I only shopped there a couple times to get console controller adaptors for my PC (man, I used my N64 controller on my PC for what seems like forever).  They shipped pretty quickly the times I shopped.

I was actually looking at GKWorld at some merchandise just yesterday - looks like I may have to go with that or look for some new online import stores.  I don't buy foreign games but I think I like Japanese merchandise unavailable here, like those pixelly Super Mario Bros. magnets and keychains and the like.  I should get more.  But not from Lik-Sang, because Sony is stupid.

Wasn't Planet GameCube affiliated with Lik-Sang?

[Karl Castaneda #2]

Yeah, they were our import partners.

[JonLeung]

Oh, duh.  I see an ad for Lik-Sang right there on the front page!

Guess that'll be down soon...  

[Nick DiMola]

I just read this news posting over at Kotaku and I was simply stunned to read the news. Sony really is an evil corporation, built completely on greed. Lik-Sang did a huuuuge service for the hardcore gaming crowd and Sony had to go screw them over. Seems  like what Sony did should be illegal. All I have to say is, f*ck you Sony you greedy money grubbing b@stards.

[NWR_Lindy]

This is a classic case of having right vs. what's right.  Sony has all the right in the world to stop Lik-Sang from selling consoles to regions of the world before they're released there, but from a consumer perspective it's just not right.

Funny how they always goes on about being the brand that's dedicated to the hardcore gamer, and then they turn around and shut down a website that caters STRICTLY to hardcore gamers.  It makes sense from a business standpoint, since L-S was technically taking sales from them (although I'm sure the numbers were miniscule); but from a PR standpoint it's one of the worst things they could have done.  It's not like mainstream people are ordering from Lik-Sang, hell they wouldn't even know about it.

Leave it to Sony to hurt their core audience in the name of the almighty dollar.  And God bless them for being dicks just because they can.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Back in the day, Nintendo was a bit of a bully to other companies when they had the dominant position in the industry, now Sony is doing the same thing, hopefully the PS3 is their N64

[Smash_Brother]

Sony is also making it "illegal" to preorder PS3s in the UK.

Believe me when I say that Europe is already pissed off enough about being passed up for launch of the PS3. This is just more icing on the cake.

In any case, the Wii will launch unchecked in Europe as the next big console.

[couchmonkey]

Bleh.  I don't even use Lik-Sang, but this is horrible news.  I can't wait for Sony to self-destruct.

[UniversalJuan]

Sony can officially bite the fattest part of my ass. I'm talking more than they already could...wow this pisses me off. I had unused Lik-Sang points damnit! DAMN YOU SONY! GAH! I need to go before I break a forum rule of some sort...this has me thuroughly POed and Sony can thank themselves for being -1 customer.

[ShyGuy]

Wow, how is Sony able to keep topping itself? I fully expect them to start kicking puppies before the PS3 launches.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
Wow, how is Sony able to keep topping itself? I fully expect them to start kicking puppies before the PS3 launches.

Didn't you know?  They start everyday with a Bowl of Puppies for breakfast

[Smoke39]

So is Lik-Sang completely gone, or are they just not allowed to sell PSPs?

[MaryJane]

what F'n douche bags. they use the service and then go hey, let's shut them down.

sony = hitler.

[Mario]

Low act, Sony are going to take as many people down with them as they can.

[KDR_11k]

NoE got the Wii region locked, SCEE felt left behind and decided to do something even worse. Seriously, it's like those two try to outdo each other on the number of customers alienated.

Though I don't get how Lik-Sang goes from "can't ship consoles" to "we're going out of business". How many people actually import consoles instead of buying them local, chipping them and importing only the games?

OTOH, didn't Lik-Sang "go out of business" when they were stopped from selling modchips, too?

[Ian Sane]

This is incredibly depressing news.  To me it doesn't even make sense for any of this to even be illegal.  Lik Sang didn't steal the PSPs in Asia.  Sony got money for those, right?  To me this is no different then a used game store only on an international scale.  Of course big corporations want those closed down too and the law seems to exist to support big business as opposed to upholding what's right.

Of course all my sound and fury is signifying nothing since I was never going to buy a PS3 anyway.

[Zach]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smoke39
So is Lik-Sang completely gone, or are they just not allowed to sell PSPs?

According to the article, lik-sang is gone.

I think My sentiments on the idea have been thoroughly discussed, but I'll say it anyway.  FU*K SONY

[JonLeung]

They sold more than just games.  They could've just stopped selling the games (and certain accessories) and continued on with the other stuff, couldn't they have?  >_<  Like the posters and toys and keychains and other doodads.

[TMW]

Well, I got the impression that they're going out of business because the legal costs were too high and drove them bankrupt.

[Kairon]

I am whirling vortex of vitriol and hate.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Dirk Temporo]

Dear Sony,

Die plz.

Sincerely,
Dirk

[wandering]

Quote
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.

Revealing private customer information is pretty low....but oh man is it justified in this case. Screw Sony. I knew about the legal troubles, but I never imagined it would lead to them going out of business.

RIP Lik-Sang.

[wanclering]

you know lik-sang actually was one of Sony's biggest customers. Lik-Sang actually has to purchase the systems from Sony before it could resale them. As far as I know. There is no law saying resale is illegal. Gamestop does it all the time.