Sony kicked out of CeBit
Microsoft has rival escorted out of German exhibition
Last week visitors to the big CeBit electronics trade show in Hannover, Germany were disappointed to discover that they couldn't play on the Xbox consoles at Microsoft's stand, as they were firmly locked behind glass. At the time Microsoft blamed the exhibition's regulations, which block companies from allowing visitors to play with any games and electronic entertainment devices. Unfortunately nobody had told Sony this, as the Japanese behemoth has apparently been flaunting the rule and letting punters get up close and personal with their PlayStation consoles for the last few years. Until now. According to a report from CeBit's newsletter, Microsoft lodged a complaint with the event's organisers, forcing them to admit that yes, Sony were breaking regulations. As a result the publisher had to remove all 27 PlayStation 2 consoles from their stand at the weekend, leaving the Xbox as the only major console on show for the remaining four days of CeBit. It looks like Microsoft are adopting a strategy of "if you can't beat them, beat them up", as the kid gloves come well and truly off in the war for console domination of Europe. The one ray of light from this sordid little incident is that the event organisers are now said to be reconsidering the rules concerning games consoles, which could open the way for both companies to open their games up to the public next year.