Unofficial PS5 Faceplate Business Cancels Orders After Threat of Legal Action from Sony

Several people here called it.

They should have been proactive and got in touch with Sony before they launched this and put forward a licensing deal of some kind. Sony get a portion of their sales, links to PS5 hardware and software on the site etc. Would have been big traffic and sales. Sony may well have refused, but at least it would have been a chance.

IOnlyWantSONYOfficialPlates They looked like they would of make the PS5 look cheap and nasty I think like 99% of unofficial products. But I am sure people will hate on SONY for doing this. Well we need that at least once a week from the 'Internet'(more like a few times a week)

Given what I have read about this company and its very shady practises, this is of no surprise.

We're gonna see some terrible examples of how those skins actually fit, aren't we.

@Frium32 And what a shining example of intelligence you are...

What a great pro consumer move from Sony. Fair play to that company for trying to get plates out, it’s only a matter of time until the market is flooded with cheap plastic ones anyway and there’s no way Sony can stop them all.

Its not really a surprise. I guess the big issue was, they were selling them before the PS5 was even rolled out. Had they waited till launch day before selling them, they probably wouldnt have had issues. As someone said, the market is going to be flooded with cheap and poorly produced tat versions.

@LiamCroft Do you think Sony stopped them to protect their IP or because their kinda shady?

I know Microsoft allowed companies like Mad Catz and Nyko to sell custom 360 faceplates, but if I recall it was only after consumers could get some from Microsoft themselves.

Surely pieces of plastic or other such materials of the same size and shape are not illegal to sell? I mean, the imagery and claims that they are for ps5 probably is illegal but surely they can't stop them actually being sold? If so, it's a little much.

I'd like a Virgin Media skin or if you're American a Verizon skin to match your telecommunications skin applied in the Avengers game

@Jayofmaya I agree, it's just a face plate for dams sake, the only reason Sony persue with shutting them down was because of greed imo, they want people to buy their faceplates instead of 3rd party doing it for far more cheaper

It's the same with the themes on ps4, on PS3 there was the option to create your own themes but this feature was taken away after that, greed on both parts imo

Nice to see some jumping to conclusions, even accusing Sony of greed. Never change, internet. Never change.

@RedShirtRod Both, I'd say.

@huyi It’s not greed - it’s protection. What obviously happened here is Sony enforced their cease and desist on imagery on the PS5 while they got their ducks in a row to protect a design patent on their faceplates. If Sony has a patent they need to enforce it - doesn’t matter if it’s a mega organization or a small company patent law is there to protect people and companies from counterfeiting. The company they shut down was likely doing something illegal - good on Sony for enforcing.

@RedShirtRod Microsoft allowed that to happen because of 3 reasons - 1. Companies like mad cats entered an agreement with Microsoft to split profits. 2. Microsoft didn’t have a patent on the faceplate. 3. Mad Cats found a legal way around the Microsoft patent.

@deathaxe there are plenty of lego compatible building block brands out there, and have been for decades.

There are just a few things that they have patent claims over, like the famous minifigs.

That said, Sony is likely waving a patent on these lawsuit. I expect both, them to try to stop others and it to not work. I myself plan to 3d print my own plates as soon as I buy my own PS5 (something that I'm sure I won't even be able to do for a long time.)

told you, was scam, they couldn't of known the dimension and where the clips needs to be this soon.

I dont know what they expected tbh. No surprise here. I'm only surprised it lasted that long.

Maybe Sony wants to sell faceplates at a higher price than them?

Can't be bothered with Vinyl skins as i never get them straight away.

Come on Sony! Don’t be like that!!

Can’t blame Sony from a business standpoint but I wish Sony had thought to do this themselves. Custom DuelSense and PS5 plates are obviously in high demand. If they are planning to offer this eventually then fair play but if they’re not and they’re just blocking others from doing it then booooo!

I hoped Sony would do something similar for the PS4/DA4 but they never did. I’m pretty sure MS had custom XB1 pads. Just feels like Sony are way behind MS in this regard.

@huyi While that may be true, it also may be because of quality issues. They (the website in question) have said that the face places were designed based on dimensions released by Sony. That is already a red flag and it tells me that they don't actually have a PS5 to even test whether or not these face plates fit. Selling a product that you don't know will work is bound to have serious quality issues and it could be simply that Sony wants to avoid that image.

Personally I am hoping for some vinyl skins (clear matte ideally) for just the center, to cover up that awful glossy section.

Learn how to spray paint and do it yourself a tenth the price. I have modded and painted PC cases long ago when they were all just a square box. At this point everyone thinks Sony is going to make faceplates for the PS5 anyway.

I have a feeling Sony will offer different plates in the near future.

While we probably can't speak to this company's level of shadiness just yet, I would have thought selling plates like this would be fine. Guess not. Not sure how it's much different than decals but eh, I wasn't going to buy any of this stuff anyway.

So if I needed a phone cover for a Sony cell phone then all those 3rd party companies should be shut down and only Sony and their allowed vendors should be allowed to sell phone covers. Hell good thing Sony dont make cars.

These will be in the hands of hundreds of independent Chinese sellers on eBay in less than a day. China knows their way around these things..

"Just tell them you've stopped selling them and ship the crates to us teeheehee"

@Jayofmaya
If it could be mistaken by its shape or form as a Sony product, or could be shown to be substantially similar, without proper licensing in place, Sony has a legal claim. Note, that's just a claim...it would have to be litigated and adjudicated, but that costs a lot of money.

This whole discussion here is silly, both those who are calling out greed and those who defend a corporation from any sort of ridicule like the consumerism dweebs we all are.
Just check AliExpress or wish! in a few weeks and see how things have taken their "natural" course and nobody will give a f*** anymore and return to pacifying ourselves with our favourite pastime.

And now we wait for Sony to release their own custom plates. That's what this is all about anyway. Sony wanting all the monies.

@RedShirtRod Wait 360 had customizable faceplates??

I actually thought that these unofficial faceplates could cause the console to overheat.

@Fred_Red That's actually true, how would they have known where it should click?

@JohnnyRock30
BS

Proprietary SSDs? nah.

Proprietary cover plates? Absolutely.

Funny how this unofficial products look better than the official stuff in some cases, time will tell if Sony has something better or worse with a generic one color faceplate

I rarely buy unofficial things

I hope Sony and that company do something constructive and come to a negotiation. There's too much of me v you in this world. Too much division darn it!

@bbq_boy Don’t mean to sound cynical but Sony is a multi-billion dollar company so it’s ultimately their design/parts and they have every right to dictate what can go to market. That’s just how copyright works, it’s at times ruthless but it’s non-negotiable. I’ve seen people work passionately for years on fan-made games/mods only to have it shut down.

If “CustomizeMyPlates” wanted to start profiting off custom PS5 face plates they should’ve been aware of possible repercussions & Sony shut them down (I mean calling it PlateStation 5 originally didn’t help their cause). Not really a me vs you issue though as Cease & Desists happen all the time.

@huyi I had no idea you could create a theme on ps3? I changed the background to a custom image once, but have done the same with ps4, so assumed it was no different.

@deathaxe Yeah, I suppose there's no surprise about the Lego company. £90 for the equivalent of like the old Millennium Falcon's worth of plastic or something last time I looked in a shop, plus all the money they make from licensing by like every IP or Franchise ever... Must be worth billions now.

@Snick27 Probably need a license i guess.

What is the legal basis for this? I thought modding consoles is legal. Sure, Don't may not like it, but how do they have the authority to order a company to close down like this?

Dont worry guys them chinese knock offs will soon come out or you guys can spray paint or buy skins like dbrands one day.

@tinCAT-zero You're a gullible one, arent you....

@JohnnyRock30
Says the man! 🤡

@Flaming_Kaiser my luck i would snap thing in half and cut myself so rather have a legit version from Sony.

@Snick27 Ill wait a bit if i want it or not its not available anywhere.