PS5: threatened by Sony, dbrand withdraws its black hulls from sale – frandroid

It was a good customization idea for gamers who found the bulky PS5 in white to be a bit too showy. dbrand nevertheless announced that it was withdrawing its product from sale due to legal threats from Sony.

The brand has designed black side shells for PS5 // Source: dbrand

They had assured to do things legally. However, dbrand had to surrender. Or rather the hulls. The brand that had marketed black plates for the Playstation 5 in the spring announced that it was withdrawing these from sale due to threats of legal action from Sony.

It was an excellent idea, however, to allow players to have an all-black version of their PS5 rather than the one with large white plates on either side of a large black module. Very early in the launch of the new console, the dbrand brand had been able to seduce the new owners with the possibility of purchasing these Darkplates, compatible black side plates in order to obtain a console with a very elegant design and much less visually massive.

“Go ahead, pursue us!” “

Sure of his fact, dbrand had even posted a message on one of its site to the attention of Sony: “Go ahead, pursue us”. It is an understatement to say that on the side of the accessories brand, we were sure to be in our right by offering such a customization of the PS5. Unfortunately, in Japan, it was obviously not heard that way and Sony’s lawyers were quick to look into the case.

And the sanction has visibly fallen. You can no longer purchase Darkplates on the site. dbrand always talks about its one-piece cases, but if you want to learn more, the sales page no longer exists.

The letter from Sony’s lawyers sent to dbrand for the PS5 plates // Source: dbrand

Site managers told The Verge have received a letter from Sony’s lawyers expressly requesting the final cessation and withdrawal of the offending products under penalty of prosecution. In it, the Tokyo firm accuses dbrand of having used intellectual property without consent, the facades “reproducing the design of products protected” by Sony and adding a hijacked version of the PlayStation icons which are engraved on the plates. original.

dbrand runs “for now”

But that doesn’t stop at Darkplates alone. Sony is also calling for an end to the marketing and sale of all PS5 facades or similar products, including simple skins. dbrand told The Verge that he intends to comply ” for the moment ” at the request which would have arrived several months ago by email.

On Reddit, dbrand goes even further in its explanations and, ironically, details the lawsuits that could be brought by the manufacturer, with damages that can amount to 150,000 dollars for counterfeit work (approximately 130,000 euros). The reseller nevertheless underlines that no patent infringed is opposed by Sony precisely to justify counterfeits, but only ” commercial popularity and massive media coverage »Which justifies the rights to the shape of the side shells.

dbrand also points out that Sony accuses them of having reproduced the iconic PlayStation icons that we find on the facades when they are small drawings – certainly, we must admit inspired by triangles, circles, crosses and squares from Sony – which “do not violate the shape of their buttons.” And to recall one of the elements of the Squid Game series in photo …

On the right, the icons of the dbrand darkplates; Bottom left, the drawings in Squid Game

At the end of a seven-page letter, Sony’s lawyers want to make “a gesture” against dbrand:

Despite the serious concerns of [Sony] concerning the conduct of dbrand (…)[Sony] would like to offer dbrand the courtesy of resolving this matter without initiating formal legal action.

In other words, it is enough to remove the plates to stop the procedure. And dbrand to conclude his Reddit post quite logically with a reminder: the brand does not take away any sale from Sony, it needs PS5s to be sold to sell its Darkplates.