PlayStation 3s seized by EU customs

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 28 February, 2011

LG wins 10 day PS3 ban.

Sales of the PlayStation 3 are under threat after South Korean company LG won an injunction to have it banned from entering European countries for 10 days.

European customs officers have been ordered to seize shipments of PS3s, reports The Guardian.

A ruling by the civil court of justice in the Hague means all new PS3s have to be confiscated as they are imported into the UK and the rest of Europe.

The injunction could be extended – if LG wins its case against Sony.

Tens of thousands of PS3s were seized by customs officials in Holland last week. Sony imports around 100,000 consoles a week. Around two to three weeks' worth of PS3s are in stock in Europe, according to the report.

The dispute centres around LG's claim that Sony is infringing its use of Blu-ray technology. If Sony is found to have infringed LG patents, it could be forced to compensate LG for each PS3 it has sold around the world, which could cost hundreds of millions of pounds.

Sony has the right to appeal to the European patents office, but LG could apply to the same patents office to get the 10-day import ban extended.

A spokesman for Sony told The Guardian: "We are currently looking into this matter, and cannot make any comments at this point in time." LG declined to comment.

LG's complaint emerged earlier this month after it demanded PS3s and Bravia tellys be banned from sale in the US.

LG claims Sony is infringing four of its patents in a complaint that broadly relates to "certain electronic devices having a Blu-Ray Disc player and components thereof", but the PlayStation 3 (Model No. CECH-2501A) is the only Sony product to be specifically named in the main document of the complaint.

Reports have suggested LG's action is revenge for Sony's December claim it was infringing seven of its patents relating to LG phones.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (88) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • NotSoSlim #1 1 year ago

    Pathetic comes to mind. Shame that the gamers are the ones to suffer and weird how now they have infringed when its been on sale for over 4 years

  • lcmnick #2 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 13:33:59 08-05-2012

  • b00n #3 1 year ago

    Well, read the last sentence, don't think Sony is afraid of similar tactics.

  • Viz1 #4 1 year ago

    Wow to companies that need to grow up... And stop playing tic for tac....

  • Viz1 #5 1 year ago

    Meant two lol

  • thepiedpiper #6 1 year ago

    oh wow! AND i was gonna get one next week. i think i'll hang on for a bit now to see what goes down!!!

  • Dolly #7 1 year ago

    Revenge is a disc best served blu.

  • karooo #8 1 year ago

    "Lik-Sang's revenge ^_^ "

    MS and Nintendo sued them as well, but no its Sony thats evil right.

  • jag10 #9 1 year ago

    why did they wait until now?

  • Syrette #10 1 year ago

    @karooo

    To state the obvious; this is an article about Sony, not Nintendo or Microsoft.

  • captain_Carl #11 1 year ago

    So 4 years after PS3 came out, LG have decided it infringes copyright.

    K then LG

  • Syrette #12 1 year ago

    @jag10

    Read the article for a possible clue. It's in the last sentence.

  • FuzzyDuck #13 1 year ago

    So LG pisses off gamers, gamers never buy LG products again?

  • makattack #14 1 year ago

    LG is obviously a hand maiden to M$ who are the real puppet masters behind all this. Don't LG make a Win7 phone? Oh yes they do.

  • lockload #15 1 year ago

    Lets be clear about this it is a Preliminary Injunction which is granted when 'That there is a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of the case'

    This is a decision by the court based on preliminary evidence
    Edited by lockload at 28/02/11 @ 19:50

  • rotmm #16 1 year ago

    @karooo,

    Also, MS and Ninty sued them (along with Sony) for supplying mod chips.. .which is a perfectly good reason to sue as far as I can see.

    But no, the real problem people have with Sony is that after Lik Sang went for a more legitimate business model after that and Sony sued them out of existence for exporting PSP's to countries where it wasn't yet available. Ironically, while Sony were suing them out of existence, Sony European bosses and staff were ordering PSP's from Lik Sang because they couldn't get them from Sony Japan.

  • betrayerofhope #17 1 year ago

    i don't get it. Sony is the creator of Blu ray alongside panasonic. How come they get sued for this bullshit by LG?When did europeans suddenly become koreans?

  • drumbaby #18 1 year ago

    LG are the cheap and nasty side of technology, aren't they?

  • linksdad #19 1 year ago

    This is gonna work wonders for their "products shipped" figures.

  • jag10 #20 1 year ago

    @foreverafternothing

    obviously something like that had to be thrown in.

  • ElNino9 #21 1 year ago

    sonylol

  • BishBashRoss #22 1 year ago

    I hope Sony get shafted.

  • des #23 1 year ago

    nice

  • Machiavellian #24 1 year ago

    Well, you cannot really blame LG. Sony sued them over patent infringement so LG had to look at their own portfolio and see where Sony has done the same. This could have been a preemptive strike on Sony so they can make LG sign a agreement concerning those blu-ray patents or Sony did not know and this will be LG chance to get Sony to sign an agreement on the mobile phone patents.

    It's big corporations bitch slapping each other and neither are worthy to be hailed as the hero. This is what big corps do and if both patent claims are legitimate, then this will be settled out of court.

  • Daeltaja #25 1 year ago

    LG waited until Sony had sold millions of PS3's before coming out with infringement claims, as considering they could be compensated for every PS3 sold, they'd earn a shit load more money than if they had done so years ago.

  • jag10 #26 1 year ago

    was it South Korea that fired missiles to North Korea? i'm building a bunker.

  • Kaminari #27 1 year ago

    I say, let's sue Sony for inventing Blu-ray!

  • makattack #28 1 year ago

    @jag10 No, it's North Korea that will take over the World (or at least Asia and North America) in 2027. According to Homefront.

    No doubt, LG *and* Sony will be absorbed in the process.
    Edited by makattack at 28/02/11 @ 20:13

  • SG79 #29 1 year ago

    Corporate pissing contests are certainly entertaining. I wonder if Sony will back off their own suit against LG now, since a ban, even if it's for 10 days, ought to rattle them.

  • paulf #30 1 year ago

    more money for the lawyers

  • LowEnergyCycle #31 1 year ago

    I have an LG HDTV (which I love) and a Sony PS3 (which I love). Shall I send them both to the naughty step until they behave?

  • lucky_jim #32 1 year ago

    @LowEnergyCycle

    But which is better? There's only one way to find out...

  • Snake_2011 #33 1 year ago

    this site seems to have a lot of XBOX fanboys on it imo.

  • karooo #34 1 year ago

    Nah they are just baiting, you are new to EG i presume? :p

  • coolbritannia #35 1 year ago

    Could cost hundreds of millions if LG win you say? Sony are focusing on making the PS3 profitable this year you say?

  • azix2 #36 1 year ago

    @Snake_2011

    nah. A lot of idiots in general. They just love one company or the other and are sheep basically.

    LG suing sony is the for the same reason sony is suing the hackers right now. That's what companies do for their products. Your asses are way down in the ladder for most of them

  • Machiavellian #37 1 year ago

    LG waited until Sony had sold millions of PS3's before coming out with infringement claims, as considering they could be compensated for every PS3 sold, they'd earn a shit load more money than if they had done so years ago.

    No, Sony sued LG first over mobile phone patents, this was LG response. If Sony did not know LG held legitimate patents concerning blu-ray then Sony stand the chance of losing out more if this goes all the way.

  • BonzoBanana #38 1 year ago

    It seems to relate to the CECH-2501A model only which is the 40nm gpu, 45nm cpu model currently being sold. Maybe thats because its the only ps3 being currently produced or maybe it is the only product that infringes LG's patents somehow in the redesign of the chipset etc.

  • Dave52 #39 1 year ago

    "I hope Sony get shafted"

    Why? Are you an MS or Nintendo shareholder? Perhaps you had a Walkman that disappointed you in the past?

  • coolbritannia #40 1 year ago

    Dave52, that Walkman joke might not be far off the mark. I know my PS2 and minidisc player died a few months after purchasing them.

    Anyway, I'm sure this will all blow over, pretty smart move by LG, and I can't see how anyone can really defend Sony, one of the most litigious companies in recent memory.

  • sirtacos #41 1 year ago

    Good time to be a patent lawyer, holy shit.

  • Afro_Matt #42 1 year ago

    @thepiedpiper let me get this straight, you think a lack of supply will lower the price of it hahahaha good luck with that

  • DirectAim #43 1 year ago

    Would you not say that things are past the "settle out of court" stage, you would of thought they would of sorted this out before the media picked sides?? The fact LG have already taken this to a judge and stopped PS3s from entering the EU could mean Sony will be shitting themselves, this and the PS3 being blown wide open, what a shit start to 2011 for Sony!!

  • obscured021 #44 1 year ago

    I love my ps3 but I hate sony. I used to get loads of stuff from Lik Sang, and if you buy a ps3 you own it and can hack it if you want to, what go's around comes around.

  • IneptPercy #45 1 year ago

    It seems sony started throwing it weight around and is judged one of the other kids.

    As it is my HD-DVD/BD-ROM Drive and BR-RE drive are both LG.

  • JBlokeUK #46 1 year ago

    Jesus christ, there really are some complete idiots commenting here. As per usual.

    Classic ''hope Sony get shafted'' by the M$ fanboys. What exactly will it do for you if Sony does get ''shafted''?

  • Puppaz #47 1 year ago

    Everyone but the lawyers loses

  • Vyggo #48 1 year ago

    I am really interested how this unfolds. Could this be the beginning of a chain reaction of patent law suits in the technology sector?

  • BlinkeredAxis #49 1 year ago

    JBloke, correct, no gamer benefits if Sony aren't in the market to compete. We need them.

    However, they've been pretty arrogant and litigious in recent memory. Particularly hideous was their sneaky attempt to install rootkits, see link:

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootkit_scandal

    Edited by BlinkeredAxis at 28/02/11 @ 22:54

  • betrayerofhope #50 1 year ago

    I doubt Sony is going to lose this case. Sony built blu ray from scratch along with phillips and panasonic. Sony has prior patents. The koreans are just playing dirty and looking for a negotiated settlement.

  • Distributor #51 1 year ago

    "So LG pisses off gamers, gamers never buy LG products again?"

    LG cant piss off gamers because how can one can even become a gamer without owning a system :)
    Wannabe-gamers is whom LG is pissing off :))

    /sarcasm off

  • coolbritannia #52 1 year ago

    BlinkeredAxis, +1 sir.

  • inutaihanyou #53 1 year ago

    I i thought the common wisdom was the the US was going to get banned? Well based on the article on this last..

  • JBlokeUK #54 1 year ago

    @BlinkeredAxis

    True, but personally I couldn't give a toss about all that. I enjoy PLAYING GAMES, and that's it. I don't care what Sony, M$ or Nintendo do or how they act, as long as I get to play games then I'm happy.

    Unless you have shares in these companies then who really cares? Although Sony getting rid of a few of the PS3's features was wrong, but again it didn't affect me personally.

  • SvennoJ #55 1 year ago

    I'm amazed they got an injunction in The Hague, I would sooner have expected they would get one in the states. Europe is usually much stricter with patent cases. Although they're just as bad granting broad patents in Europe as in the states.
    LG and Sony are probably signing an agreement right now not to sue each other any further. Even the lawyers are probably not happy with this, they could have drawn it out for another couple of years.

  • mingster #56 1 year ago

    * Sony DMCA delayed disclosure of Sony BMG rootkit vulnerability
    * Sony threatens Aibo hobbyists for creating software that enables Sony’s Aibo robot dog to dance
    * Sony sues Connectix and Bleem to block software that allows gamers to play their PlayStation games on PCs
    * Sony attacks PlayStation “Mod Chips” and enforces a system of “region coding”
    * Sony sued Gamemasters, distributor of the Game Enhancer peripheral device, which allowed owners of a U.S. PlayStation console to play games purchased in Japan and other countries
    * Sony removes OtherOS option, removes Linux support
    * Sony is suing makers, hackers, and tinkers for jailbreaking of the PS3 to play homebrew games

    Sony Karmas a bitch you deserve it.. love Lik Sang.

  • evarofzentral #57 1 year ago

    Wow 10 days - I mean what's the point of that? LG sould just go away because, frankly, I don't care about any of their products.

  • Syrette #58 1 year ago

    @JBlokeUK

    "M$" puts you on their level.

  • stepleftstepright #59 1 year ago

    It's good thing PS3 doesn't sell like hot cakes. This may be good thing for Sony. It may be able to build up reserve. And Karma is a funny thing.

  • Machiavellian #60 1 year ago

    Actually taking a look at the injunction, this is a lot bigger than just 10 days of confiscation. LG has the option to extend pass the 10 days, they could destroy the products if they want. This is huge and nothing to dismiss so lightly. The fact that LG won a preliminary injunction means that they they have the upper hand and you can bet they will extend the injunction unless Sony can reverse the decision. Do not forget that something like this have a rippling effect all the way back to Japan. 10 days is a lot and you can believe that this is money lost for Sony.

    Even worst think about the US. This could set a precedent that could also cause the US to do the same thing. Fighting this on both big markets could really be a large kick to the gonads for Sony. If you compare the suit Sony has against LG, they haven't won anything and it's only in the US.
    Edited by Machiavellian at 28/02/11 @ 23:50

  • zedzee #61 1 year ago

    Oh dear, I smell a repeat of the Immersion case coming up.

    Great way to drum up sales though, for Sony, so people can go out and get one before they disappear.

  • Geowolf #62 1 year ago

    This is gonna be unbelievably interesting to follow.

    Round One! LG Wins!!!

  • risseer #63 1 year ago

    I can see it now Sony adds a firmware update that makes Ps3 not work on LG tvs..

  • risseer #64 1 year ago

    I don't hate Sony, every company is like that.Anytime theirs money involved these big companies will sue your ass to the stone age.

  • Captain_Jono #65 1 year ago

    The advent of internet consoles and smartphones has shown just how unsuited and out of date patent laws are. Its like Microsoft's crusade against Linux during the 90's and 00's, only on a grander scale. One company is granted a patent over a piece of software or a line of code. It quickly becomes clear that said patent is not just useful, but vital to the development of any competing OS, or smartphone or whatever, effectively preventing any fair competition. It leaves other companies in the sector with a hard choice; either surrender a lucrative market to the competition, or create your own version, hope nobody notices, and prepare to game the legal system if they do!

    The result? 2010 was the year every electronics firm sued every other electronics firm! Motorola is currently pursuing action against Microsoft (amongst others) over supposed patent infringements concerning video codecs in the XBOX 360. Now we have this lovely situation with the PS3.

    More money for lawyers, and the consumer suffers as a result!

  • gabrielbird #66 1 year ago

    Would be amusing to see an LG/Sony PS3 appear after a few months. Reminds me of the old Panasonic/Nintendo Gamecube, damn that was a sexy beast.

  • GamesConnoisseur #67 1 year ago

    I am amazed!!

    At how many people clearly NOT bothering to read the article in FULL!

    Saves lot of bother, however this is shitty for consumers but it's a game that big companies play with each other as others said, patents a very muddled area and usually the ones with most money and resources wins and not necessarily the one with the most legimate case.

    Sure questions asked about timing but it's happened only AFTER Sony sued LG and tit for tat, they will settles but lawyers are the only winners here. They probably encouraged Execs in Sony and others companies to go after each other throats.

  • callum9999 #68 1 year ago

    Though I think it's a ridiculous action, to the people moaning about LG waiting 4 years to complain - maybe they only recently noticed. I doubt they analyse every bit of electronic equipment ever released on the off chance they are using an LG patent.

    And no I wouldn't imagine it's past the "settle out of court" stage. It might be, but this could equally just be a tactic from LG to force Sony to respond quicker.

  • king26 #69 1 year ago

    LG.....FUCK OFF!!

  • DjFlex52 #70 1 year ago

    LG.....FUCK OFF!!

    @king26

    Sony fanboys...SPEAK LOUD!

    Hey, you didn't mention KZ3 in an EG thread, king26...wow, congrats! ;-)

  • Beltsu #71 1 year ago

    Go, go, LG! Sony had it coming after what they did last December. Epix fight incoming!

  • Beltsu #72 1 year ago

    Funny thing is, I'd been wondering on the possibility if getting a ps3 lately. But then again, maybe not. Oh, well...

  • JBlokeUK #73 1 year ago

    @DjFlex52

    I didn't realize that loving a game made you a fanboy of the console that game is on? Fanboyism has taken a turn, for the worst if that's the case.

  • dagas #74 1 year ago

    I can see the headlines already "PS3 shortages! Ebay prices up by 187 % last week"

  • TelexStar #75 1 year ago

    Viz1 - "Wow to companies that need to grow up... And stop playing tic for tac.... "

    Viz1 - "Meant two lol "

    I think you also meant "tit for tat". Tic Tacs are those sugery pills that come in small plastic boxes that people use to smuggle drugs. Unless of course you introduce a Toe and then its a game that no-one can win.

  • DrStrangelove #76 1 year ago

    Holy s*** dude!

  • TelexStar #77 1 year ago

    @JBlokeUK "Classic ''hope Sony get shafted'' by the M$ fanboys. What exactly will it do for you if Sony does get ''shafted''? "

    I agree with you that the lack of competition would be bad and the comments from people wishing Sony to get shafted are equally stupid. However, anyone who calls someone else a "fanboy" while referring to Microsoft as "M$" is not doing themselves any favours. You make yourself sound like idiotic fanboy yourself.

  • funkateer #78 1 year ago

    "I am really interested how this unfolds. Could this be the beginning of a chain reaction of patent law suits in the technology sector? "

    Nah, it's just another case of patent trolling. Business as usual...

  • strelok #79 1 year ago

    Aah, gotta love patents...man's greatest invention on his way of mastering and spreading knowledge.

  • DjFlex52 #80 1 year ago

    I didn't realize that loving a game made you a fanboy of the console that game is on? Fanboyism has taken a turn, for the worst if that's the case.

    @JBlokeUK

    I guess you are totally oblivious to his comment "LG...FUCK OFF!!"
    Errm...Why else would he care that LG is suing Sony?

  • RexRunti #81 1 year ago

    I think the most important thing to take from this is that this is a European case. In America the patent system is largley broken particularly on the software side of things, this is not the case in Europe (it is very hard to patent software in Europe). I'm guessing Lucky Goldstar's (yes, that is what LG stands for and hence the name change) patents refer to actual components and aren't as spurious as some people are suggesting.

    I have no wish for Sony to cease trading and even less wish for the PS3 to disappear (I own one and would like to see it continue to be supported), I do however expect them to follow the law and if the have stolen LG's IP I expect and hope they are punished.

  • funkateer #82 1 year ago

    "...I do however expect them to follow the law and if the have stolen LG's IP I expect and hope they are punished. "

    It's hard not to infringe on patents these days if you want to get anything out there. There are millions of them, and every big company infringes on patents. Things like this don't happen so often because it's usually like a cold war (if you sue me for patent infringement I sue you back) and most patent disputes are settled out of court.

    This seems like a very bitter patent war though, but I'm expecting it to be settled eventually.

  • Alex_976 #83 1 year ago

    Awaits firmware update to disable bluray playback lol

  • ronuds #84 1 year ago

    Good grief some of you are dense. "They're attacking my favourite company - they obviously suck and there's no way my favourite company can be in the wrong in any way!"

    Sony sued LG first, so they kind of brought this on themselves. I'm sure PS3s will be in stock again soon enough, though.

  • Machiavellian #85 1 year ago

    Actually this is the first time that I have seen an injunction actually go through against a large corporation like Sony. That fact that the case has gotten this far is pretty big and definitely not sitting well with Sony.

  • handsonhips101 #86 1 year ago

    I can see coolbritannia heavy breathing over this article, rubbing his hands with glee, quivering like a small child on christmas morning. His worst enemy taken down. maybe he can sleep at night knowing that sony is out of reach and microsoft will be able to sell some more 360's.


    oh too late, he already has said his piece....

    doh.

  • jefranklin18 #87 1 year ago

    I have just read LG's complaint (filed in the US version, assume it is the same here). As I read it (and I am no lawyer) the wording is very poor in it - it is referring to 4 technologies that (IMO) already exist: subtitles on movies, multi-angle viewing and the ability to read R/W and R/O disks in the same device. However the majority of these patents were applied for in around about 2007, and (staggeringly) granted in 2008.

    Now, the issues I see with this care are:

    1 "Prior work" - those facilities have been in blu-rays and DVDs way before the filing dates (so the patents should have not been granted)
    2 Filing date - how long has Sony's case against LG been going on? Call me cynical but if it has been going on that long, then you know, if it quacks and walks like a duck, the chances are it is a duck...
    3 Wording in the patent/complaint - multiple references were made in the complaint to "optical media" and then afterwards the words "for example blu-ray". It is possible (probable, depending on your view on patents) that the patent was worded in such generic terms that blu-rays were not specfically identified.

    While I am not condoning Sony's lawsuit over LG (I don't know enough about it), the issues identified above make me highly dubious that there is any validity in any of these complaints.
    Edited by jefranklin18 at 01/03/11 @ 18:10

  • dloob #88 1 year ago

    I find it all rather amusing.
    LG and Sony are involved in several different patent disputes, indeed sony are trying to block lg phone imports in the US.
    I guess there will be a fairly rapid cross licencing agreement now that LG has used the nuclear option in the EU and applied to do the same in the US and they have a prescient now so...