Lik-Sang closes doors

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:36 am

Important Notice: Lik-Sang.com Out of Business due to Multiple Sony Lawsuits
Date: Tue Oct 24 2006 21:58:51 Hong Kong Time

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - OUT OF BUSINESS NOTICE

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."

Post by **|darc|** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:55 am

You know, I've hated Sony for a while now, but this just infuriates me. Fuck those guys. First bleem!, now Lik-Sang. This is ridiculous. ARRRRRGHH.

Strapping Scherzo · Post by **Strapping Scherzo** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:03 am

Awwwwww. I liked Lik-Sang. I bought several things from there in the past. Great variety of stuff. And their international shipping rates weren't even that bad compared to other Chinese video game stores. Boooooo!

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:05 am

Would it be too harsh to suggest taking extreme actions against Sony? Like, you know, sniping their "suits", setting fire to their facilities, that kind of thing.

Dreamcast4life · Post by **Dreamcast4life** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:03 am

ooooo, I wanna see sony burn

COUNT ME IN!

Post by **|darc|** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:18 am

Stormwatch wrote:Would it be too harsh to suggest taking extreme actions against Sony? Like, you know, sniping their "suits", setting fire to their facilities, that kind of thing.

No, it wouldn't.

Juan · Post by **Juan** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:22 am

Poor wraggster... At least he still has playasia, success-hk... And Harry Potter

stagg · Post by **stagg** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:25 am

Sucks for the people that pre-ordered the Wii and thought they would be getting it, now they have to go and hope to find one near them.

Hawke · Post by **Hawke** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:56 am

Aww man - I had JSS2 preordered there :\

I hate you sony. screw you, screw you up your stupid ass.

Hawq · Post by **Hawq** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:49 pm

And I was gonna order more stuff from them sometime as well

how annoying

stagg · Post by **stagg** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:58 pm

Sony, another reason to love you! YAY SONY!

Lunchbox · Post by **Lunchbox** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:08 pm

meh, I don't import.

Joestar · Post by **Joestar** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:11 pm

Oh god, I hope play-asia slips past their radar

stagg · Post by **stagg** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:12 pm

Look at his avatar while reading his post.^^^ LOL.

Phantom · Post by **Phantom** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:19 pm

EDIT: Changed my mind.

Hawke · Post by **Hawke** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:35 pm

http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=20564

Sony is claiming they had nothing to do with it.

Post by **Quzar** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:27 pm

It was only a matter of time. I see this as making it look like there are many more ps3s at launch.

Caboose · Post by **Caboose** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:28 pm

This is bullshit. I ordered sevral things from them, always great. It's sad to see them go, especially at the hands of Sony. They better not get the other import game sites shut down. Play-asia is my favourite (because their shipping is cheaper than Lik-Sangs), and I need them. Without them, I wouldn't be getting a new Ds or an imported copy of Phoenix Wright 2

Post by **melancholy** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:37 pm

That article Hawke posted wrote:"Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.

How is that not Sony's doing? They sued Lik-Sang, Lik-Sang couldn't afford to hire lawyers, therefore Sony won a large sum of money by default. How can Sony even claim they had nothing to do with it after making a statement like that?

Caboose · Post by **Caboose** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:49 pm

It's Sony, the company is built on lies and unnkept promises. They're like a politician really.