Sony PlayStation fans who recognize the trademarked phrase "Live in Your World. Play in Ours" might soon be faced with a shocking fact.
It's not really Sony's world, either.
Barely a week after releasing the PSP, the world's most expensive personal gaming device outside of a cell phone, Sony Corp. might take a serious hit to its U.S. income soon, according to various Associated Press and Reuters reports.
If you've been thinking about buying a PlayStation lately, allow me to slip you a little bit of gaming advice.
Buy it now.
On Monday, United States District Judge Claudia Wilken, who apparently took time out of her day to rule on something other than Terri Schiavo, affirmed a September federal jury decision against Sony. She ruled in favor of Immersion Corp., who sued Sony in 2002 claiming they violated two of its patents in order to make feedback features on its PlayStation console.
PlayStation -- Dude, that's so '90s.
"So what? It's just another lawsuit," you may say, "It happens all the time!"
That it does.
So do accounting errors.
Well, there are no accounting errors in this case, other than Sony having to pay a whopping $90.7 million fine, $8.7 million of which is pure interest from September until now.
That's around the same amount consumers are expecting to pay for the next edition of "Grand Theft Auto" when it hits stores this summer under the new title of "GTA 4: We Stole the Rights to This, Too."
Of greater interest to game junkies, though, is the sales ban that Wilken ordered. That ban prohibits Sony from selling in the United States its legendary PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles, along with Dual Shock controllers and 47 software titles, Reuters reported.
And you thought your Atari was worth something.
The ban does not include Sony's latest pride and joy: the PSP handheld player.
Wilken immediately issued a stay on the ban, expecting Sony to appeal. Sony Computer Entertainment, the company's gaming unit, said it would indeed do so, according to Reuters. For the interim, though, the company will continue to sell the No. 1 home game console in the world.
At its core, this case seems to be a case of some bad vibrations.
Literally.
Immersion claims Sony infringed on patents related to "vibro-tactile" technologies, according to the AP. In Lehman's terms, it is "that cool vibrate thing the controller does when I do something stupid on the screen."
The case, which might turn out to be a real bummer for video game enthusiasts across the country, ties well into recent history's lessons. With the excess of accounting scandals, lawsuits and insider trading sentences, the last few years have exemplified some important business secrets.
They are, in no particular order: Don't lie, don't cheat and don't steal.
These are classic rules ordinary people tend to forget, let alone officials running companies capable of starting or fielding a $90-plus million lawsuit.
Well -- at least this case doesn't have hoards of media personnel covering it or protesters arguing it...yet.
"Sony has already paid $7 million on compulsory license payments ordered by the court and will continue to do so each quarter, based on sales of infringing products, until there is a reversal or settlement," the AP reported.
What could become of the case or Sony's beloved PlayStation console remains anyone's guess. If Sony's appeal does fail, however, they'll be faced with one bummer of a fact.
Their game is over.
Write to Dave at
heydave@bewilderedsociety.com
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