Play-Asia quietly cancels PS3 pre-orders to Europe
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Oct 30th 2006 at 12:25PM }
Not wanting to tempt fate, Play-Asia has backed out of PlayStation 3 pre-orders destined for European territories. The online import specialist emailed this brief explanation to customers today:"We regret to inform you that due to licensing and distribution limitations, Play-Asia.com will not be able to send PlayStation3 branded products to your territory."
Play-Asia's pre-orders for PS3 launch titles and accessories have also been "closed." Pro-G notes that other import sites are taking the same precautions, with YesAsia clearly noting: "PS3 will not be shipped to any countries in the European Union (EU)."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ape2020 @ Oct 30th 2006 12:46PM
Quick we must quotine those naive Europeans from the scour that is the PS3 for their own safety!
Todd @ Oct 30th 2006 12:34PM
Just wonderful. Sony keeps on showing their love and support for those living in Europe. Face it people, Sony does not give a damn about you!
Martin @ Oct 30th 2006 12:36PM
Thanks for the credit for sending this in!
Stoli @ Oct 30th 2006 12:36PM
God I hate Sony.
Here's to never buying another Sony product again!
Sonic @ Oct 30th 2006 12:37PM
But its for the safety of all of Europe that their faulty systems do not explode on little kids.
Martin @ Oct 30th 2006 12:38PM
Oh, I will buy Sony games in the future... If they come out on the Wii or 360!
Dave @ Oct 30th 2006 12:38PM
ONCE AGAIN F##K YOU SONY Wii360 ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!
ZeroCorpse @ Oct 30th 2006 12:42PM
Sony CARES about Europe! They want to protect Europe! This is all about Europe's safety.
You know. . . Like when the PS2 was under investigation because it could launch nuclear arsenals.
Sony. . . You SUCK.
Michael @ Oct 30th 2006 12:45PM
I had a well thought out response to this news but i'm short of time so all I can say is..
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY
Ritz @ Oct 30th 2006 12:47PM
It is not like Sony won't be able to sell PS3's to the general EU public once they finally do release the console. You understand that the Sony brand is still very strong to those who don't read tech news all day. It will be harder, because Wii and the 360 will be both be able to court the consumer for a while before Sony can arrive, but the demand will still be there. And sorry, but if its determined illegal to sell imported consoles, thats not Sony's fault and they have every right to apply the law to protect themselves that way, if they see fit. It may have turned you off as a customer, and me too, but we're a small group relatively speaking. No one else is really going to care and will gladly pick up the system once available.
Mike @ Oct 30th 2006 12:51PM
Welcome to the global economy, Europe. China pulls the same crap with us here in the U.S. 25% tariffs on everything we export there, but if we put 10% tariffs on cheap imported steel we get slapped with huge fines for not playing fair.
Sony is going down!
Mullinator @ Oct 30th 2006 12:54PM
"durrr JOYSDICK IS TEH BIASSED AGAINST TEH SONY!!11!!1"
Sorry, had to be done. Anyway, all I can say is screw you Sony.
crono141 @ Oct 30th 2006 12:58PM
Wouldn't be great if nobody in europe decided to buy a PS3 (in the spring) because of this.
I think it would be great.
CLShortFuse @ Oct 30th 2006 1:02PM
Simple analogy:
XBOX360 is to Japan as
A) PS3 is to Europe
B) PS3 is to Europe
C) PS3 is to Europe
D) All of the above.
nea @ Oct 30th 2006 1:02PM
fuck sony
but like, one by one my friends and poeple i work with, theyre all buying 360's cause they cant be arsed waiting any longer. £430, NO Pro Evo. i dont think so
of course, im constantly bad mouthing the PS3, but so far theres nothing good to say
iceatcs @ Oct 30th 2006 1:03PM
it must be best for us, since if you buy japan/USA system you won't able to play PAL's PS2/PSX games on it.
niels @ Oct 30th 2006 1:19PM
man you people really have a severe misunderstanding of corporate thinking.
There is no such thing as a company "caring" for its costumers. there is not one company in the world that makes its products because it "cares" for its costumers. the only thing a company "cares" about is the profit, and how to optimize it. what sony is doing is a calculated choice that will (in their judgment) optimize profits. nintendo, microsoft and any other company would have taken similar measures like sony. You cannot blame sony for caring about profits.
Stoli @ Oct 30th 2006 1:25PM
#17
After a lot of this backlash, do you think this is good PR? Do you think this will "optimize profits", especially considering how many people's warcry is now "Boycott Sony"?
No, companies shut down pirates because it cuts into profits. This is just them being control freaks.
Awesome-O @ Oct 30th 2006 1:47PM
AWWWWWWW SNAP! Sony doesn't give a FUCK about European gamers, they just care about the bottom line.
Like Biggie said "Mo' money, Mo' problems"
Can't wait until Nov. 19 Wii time losers.
Can't wait until Christmas, 360 time losers.
x876543 @ Oct 30th 2006 1:39PM
Companies care about its customers, if it doesn't it will find itself with none. So if you think a company doesn't care about you, then you probably aren't going to be its customer, or won't be in the future if have been once before.
If you think a company cares about you, then you are a happy customer. Companies need to care about its customers or it will lose profits. Would you shop somewhere that was cheap but treated you like crap? How about somewhere that was slightly more costly but treated you like royalty when you were in there?
Home Depot to me seems to "not care" about me, cause it's impossible to find someone to help me. But when I walk into a Lowe's they seem to "care" because I get asked if I need any assistance when I'm in there. Care is a word that means different things to different people. But to companies that word translates to profits when consumer gets the perception that they are cared for. (Not even mentioning the word of mouth effect of caring or there-lack-of).
Lex @ Oct 30th 2006 1:44PM
It's SONY's product and they can do with it what they want.
If they don't want it imported to regions before their release date that's thier choice.
You all need to stop acting like a bunch of spoiled little girls thinking that it's all about you.
What Sony is doing isn't personal it's just bussiness and if you can't understand that then I feel sorry for your future.
32_Footsteps @ Oct 30th 2006 2:07PM
"It's SONY's product and they can do with it what they want."
Actually, once the importer pays Sony for the units to then sell to other customers, the product no longer belongs to Sony.
Worth noting, I've contacted Play-Asia and a few other importers over all this. They've said that they haven't been contacted by Sony in regards to PS3 presales. So my guess is that either Sony got to them since I last spoke with them, or they're taking precautionary measures, both of which seem likely to me.
Here's my question, though - whom does this really benefit? Honestly, not that many Europeans are going to import a PS3 from Japan. Due to the language barrier, the electrical standard barrier, the image display barrier, the price of the PS3, and the relative small size of the video game import scene, I can't imagine that Sony was going to lose all that many sales in Europe (presuming that Sony would make a greater profit or at least take less losses from selling European PS3 units, which isn't guaranteed). Moreover, some people would buy a European PS3 when they were available anyhow to support the local version.
On top of that, early adopters are good advance word of mouth. Remember how Joystiq linked to a study showing that game demos do a great deal in helping sell a game at stores? Having a few NTSC PS3 units in Europe could have a similar effect - it would let more Europeans get a shot at the system, and from there spread positive word-of-mouth about the system.
To me, this entire ordeal screams of Sony being penny wise, pound foolish.
john @ Oct 30th 2006 2:14PM
21 ^ funny you should say can't wait until nov 19th Wii time losers. With the ps3 you could be waiting even longer. Sony is doing a good job already. E3, and TGS had great showings didn't they? The ps3 had huge lines at E3 right? Come on give me a break. Sony has been screwing up just like Nintendo has done in the past. They are pretty much repeating Nintendo's history. Way to cocky and then they lose their hardcore base to someone else. The big diffrence with Sony and Nintendo this time is, Nintendo dosen't want to make the same mistakes again, and Sony needs to take a history lesson. If Sony can keep all their fan base after all this they stand a chance. However most of my friends that thought I was dumb for buying a Wii are now taking their money for a ps3 and dropping it down for a Wii or 360 instead. How many more see things like this shifting.
Psaakyrn @ Oct 30th 2006 3:18PM
In case no one noticed, Sony didn't do anything (at least, nothing that we can tell), this is still the repercussions from thr Lik Sang issue. I wonder if Sony can convince Airport Goods Control and Mail Goods Control that as long as the PS3 hasn't met European safety regulations, it isn't safe to be imported.. (since this is the next logical step against imports)
sonofnone @ Oct 30th 2006 4:37PM
I wonder how much, if any, this affects online auctions sites like ebay? It's one (completely messed up) thing to go after legit online retailers for this type of thing, but if Sony starts taking up legal action against individuals on ebay it's REALLY gonna piss people off!
ManekiNeko @ Oct 30th 2006 3:42PM
Is that Earnest Borgnine, star of TV's Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy?
Annnyway, the real reason I'm writing is because I would like to know how to post messages without having to verify each one. I keep getting sent passwords but have no idea where to enter them.
JR
Ratchet the Lombax @ Oct 30th 2006 5:13PM
I preordered one for my friend from this site. I wish I had known about it since it was cheaper than the gamestop preorder I got. They have the 20gb and 60gb versions for a $50 down payment. Granted they are the Japanese version but since the thing is region free it doesn't matter unless you want to watch a Blu-ray movie. I may be wrong on this point if so please enlighten me. Anyway I just thought that someone might be interested in this bit of info.
*P.S. They also ship to Europe too so happy times for those of you in the UK *
Here is the site: http://www.renchi.com/renchi/Home
moominsean @ Oct 30th 2006 5:20PM
not even sure why sony is so concerned about the import systems...all 500 of them that will be sold, as opposed to the 12 million local region systems they will sell. seems like they'd be happy to take the money any way they can rather than alienate even 200 people, if every penny counts, as it would seem. it's one big friggin company in the end, anyway.
Superdotman @ Oct 30th 2006 7:08PM
They don't mind.
Wad @ Oct 30th 2006 7:35PM
So there is still a chance of importing to Australia. Anyone know of any international shippers of the US console ??? I dont really want a jap one
Regards
Wad
AirIntake @ Oct 30th 2006 7:58PM
So what if I buy a PS3, and then want to sell it to my buddy in Europe? Is that illegal and how? Do I not have the right to sell my used crap to whomever I wish? I could understand if I was selling it as new, as that would make me a retailer, but used? How can Sony legally tell me what to do with my used stuff?
n8dogg @ Oct 30th 2006 10:07PM
31 (AirIntake)
They won't. Lik-Sang was a more legal target because they sell the products for a profit publicly. You are doing a private transaction, and Sony won't be able to do anything about it.
That said, I think I'm the only person on the interweb who's not really sobbed up by any of this. I really don't care too much about imports, and I don't live in Europe. I won't be getting a PS3 for at least a year due to financial issues, but I play my (still working) PS2 religiously. God, I fecking love that system.
Morghan Phoenix @ Oct 31st 2006 9:00AM
Sony is a big business and because of this it must, by definition, be evil. I've allready stopped buying microsoft products a long time ago and it looks like my PSP will be the last sony product I purchace. i think they allready overstepped themselves with all the stuff they're cramming into the PS3 and it's price tag kinda takes it out of the casual gamer market. If sony wasn't such a massive company I'd predict the PS3 putting it under, but it is, so I won't.
Ya Mum @ Nov 9th 2006 7:10PM
I preordered a PS3 from Play-asia the other day, and I live in Australia. I havent gotten an email from them to say my orders been cancelled, so does that mean ill still get my PS3? Since Australia technically isnt in the European Union.
Anyone else in australia preordered a PS3 from play-asia?
David Reece @ Nov 22nd 2006 11:15AM
Well I can't wait. I've ordered one from Games Asia
http://www.games-asia.com/playstation3with20gbharddrive-p-1201.html
this site is really cool.