Datablitz raided for selling "pirated" software

[kingperot24]

hala, grabe namang pahiya to sa Datablitz, I've been a suki sa datablitz since I got my PS3.. Legit lahat ng copy nila, mura pa compared kung bibili ka sa ibang store. X-play? ang alam ko sa Online gaming thing sila e pero shocked ako na sila pala ang exclusive distributor ng 2k13 dito sa Pinas. They did not even advertise na sila ang mag-didistribute ng 2k13. weeew. Datablitz has to take action on this, their branding is on the line.

[Monseratto]

Politically news report...

P2.65-M worth of unauthorized gaming software seized from DataBlitz stores
By: J.M. Tuazon, InterAksyon.com
November 6, 2012 3:12 PM

MANILA, Philippines -- Illegally sourced software products worth P2.65 million were seized by the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) from several outlets in Metro Manila of a major gaming and software store.

Police conducted raids in DataBlitz outlets based on a complaint filed against the store by X-Play Online Games, Inc., a local distributor of computer gaming software and operator of online multiplayer games.

"This stemmed from the complaint lodged by the head of security of IPE-G, the owner of X-Play," CIDG spokesperson Sr. Insp. Kim Gonzales toild InterAksyon.com in a phone interview Monday night.

X-Play, a joint venture between IP E-Games Inc. and GMA New Media, Inc., is the exclusive distributor of Blizzard and NBA computer gaming titles in the Philippines.

Eleven search warrants against DataBlitz were issued by the courts, which "were applied last October 31," according to Gonzales.

The DataBlitz branches raided by the police are located in Megamall, Market! Market!, Robinson's Galleria, Rockwell Power Plant, Greenbelt, Expo Exchange, Virra Mall Greenhills, and Robinson's Magnolia, among other outlets.

The software products in question include the recently released NBA 2K13 game, which is exclusively distributed locally by X-Play. DataBlitz has reportedly not been appointed by X-Play as a reseller for the said game title.

Other gaming titles were also reportedly seized by the police, but Gonzales was not able to identify which specific titles they were.

Contrary to earlier reports by some news outlets, the pieces of software seized from DataBlitz were neither counterfeit nor pirated, but were just sold without proper authorization from the local distributor, according to the CIDG official.

Gonzales said DataBlitz would be charged with violation of Section 168 of Republic Act 8293, or the law on unfair competition.

X-Play and DataBlitz could not be immediately reached for comment as of posting time.

DataBlitz, a 100-store retail chain of gaming software and other entertainment products, is just one of the very few remaining stores in the Philippines where gamers and enthusiasts can order legitimate copies of their favorite computer games.

Recently, DataBlitz became a venue for local pre-orders of popular gaming titles such as Blizzard's Diablo III and World of Warcraft.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/4...tablitz-stores

[uls]

X-Play, a joint venture between IP E-Games Inc. and GMA New Media, Inc., is the exclusive distributor of Blizzard and NBA computer gaming titles in the Philippines.

^^

a subsidiary of IPVG

IPVG CORP (IP:Philippines): Stock Quote & Company Profile - Businessweek

IPVG Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the information technology and telecommunications, online computer games, and business process outsourcing businesses. The company provides managed data services and business solutions, as well as offers Internet data center and network services, Internet connectivity services, IP transport services, and Prolexic distributed denial of service mitigation detection and protection system, as well as Salesforce.com on-demand business solutions, IP-converge voice over Internet call exchange suite, and IP-converge financial systems. It also offers massively multiplayer online role-playing game, an online computer role playing game; and casual online games. In addition, the company’s services include the processing of local and international remittances, e-commerce via the acceptance of Internet based debit and credit card payments, issuance of debit cards, and retail merchant acquisition. IPVG Corp. serves customers primarily in Asia, Europe, and America. The company is based in Makati City, the Philippines.

[uls]

kaya pala malakas ang loob ng X-play

malaki ang mothership

[ghosthunter]

Then from here, you can now create some conspiracy theories

No need for consiracy theories. I was privy into the backside happenings of the NBI for a while a few years back.

BTT:
I do think Datablitz will retaliate on this matter. Tsaka who was that X-Play? Never heard of that one until this news came out.

I am sure they will get back at X-Play either by legal or other means.

[ghosthunter]

Politically news report...

P2.65-M worth of unauthorized gaming software seized from DataBlitz stores - InterAksyon.com

Sounds so much like what AMDG did with starcraft, counterstrike, etc almost ten years ago.

[testament11]

Their issue is Blizzard Games at yun NBA 2k13. What happens sa ibang games, like those released by EA Games at mga console games? Do I smell monopoly here or bullying? Eh 90's palang andyan na ang Datablitz at alam ng lahat na very good ang kanilang reputation when it comes to legit software.

Oh one thing...

Diablo 3 was released last May pero hindi nag-react ang X-Play regarding this. AFAIK, those D3 copies sold by X-Play (under E-Games) were more expensive than those sold by Datablitz. Now comes NBA 2k13 and they now reacted furiously. Just thinking, di kaya mahina ang sales ni X-Play kaya ganito ang ginawa niya?

There's one retailer na affiliated ke X-Play, which is direct competitor ng Datablitz, which is i-Tech.

[crazy_boy]

in the end consumers parin kawawa dito.. i have nothing agaist buying from authorized resellers. pero sana reasonably priced. like Apple, if you know how, you can get it from authorized resellers a little more expensive if not at par with US prices.

madalas kasi ang laki ng patong ng authorized resellers.

[kingperot24]

Their issue is Blizzard Games at yun NBA 2k13. What happens sa ibang games, like those released by EA Games at mga console games? Do I smell monopoly here or bullying? Eh 90's palang andyan na ang Datablitz at alam ng lahat na very good ang kanilang reputation when it comes to legit software.

Oh one thing...

Diablo 3 was released last May pero hindi nag-react ang X-Play regarding this. AFAIK, those D3 copies sold by X-Play (under E-Games) were more expensive than those sold by Datablitz. Now comes NBA 2k13 and they now reacted furiously. Just thinking, di kaya mahina ang sales ni X-Play kaya ganito ang ginawa niya?

There's one retailer na affiliated ke X-Play, which is direct competitor ng Datablitz, which is i-Tech.

May point ka sir, mukhang mahina sales ni X-Play kaya niya ginagawa to, most of us I believe are not aware that X-play is the main distributor of 2k13. Mas mura kasi talaga sa Datablitz, maganda pa ang serbisyo.

[uls]

gusto ng X-Play sa kanila lang kayo bibili. period

[shadow]

^which is just right since they are supposed to be the sole distributor locally


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[renzo_d10]

Ano at saan yun xplay ulit? never heard

Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk 2

[uls]

^which is just right since they are supposed to be the sole distributor locally

yup

like i said everyone's securing distributorships left and right

yan ang trend ngayon

[uls]

Ano at saan yun xplay ulit? never heard

Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk 2

ya neverheard pero malaki pala parent company nyan

[safeorigin]

Like what I've said before, monopolies almost always exist under govt. regulation. Otherwise, a free market will always find a way to make things more affordable.

[uls]

parallel importers steal profits from exclusive distributors

so exclusive distributors pay lawyers to harass parallel importers

[jave]

IP E-Games can't beat the price, so they resort to extra-legal means. Valid, but it really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. In the end, it's the consumers who lose.

I wish there would be some serious backlash against E-Games for this, like a massive boycott or something, but somehow I doubt it.

[safeorigin]

parallel importers steal profits from exclusive distributors

so exclusive distributors pay lawyers to harass parallel importers

Kinda like how RIAA made more money from lawsuits than actual sales...

[ghosthunter]

IP E-Games can't beat the price, so they resort to extra-legal means. Valid, but it really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. In the end, it's the consumers who lose.

I wish there would be some serious backlash against E-Games for this, like a massive boycott or something, but somehow I doubt it.

people will find a way to get cheaper stuff... like online retail stores.

[niky]

By the way, from RA 8293, section 168:

Section 168. Unfair Competition, Rights, Regulation and Remedies. - 168.1. A person who has identified in the mind of the public the goods he manufactures or deals in, his business or services from those of others, whether or not a registered mark is employed, has a property right in the goodwill of the said goods, business or services so identified, which will be protected in the same manner as other property rights.

168.2. Any person who shall employ deception or any other means contrary to good faith by which he shall pass off the goods manufactured by him or in which he deals, or his business, or services for those of the one having established such goodwill, or who shall commit any acts calculated to produce said result, shall be guilty of unfair competition, and shall be subject to an action therefor.

168.3. In particular, and without in any way limiting the scope of protection against unfair competition, the following shall be deemed guilty of unfair competition:

(a) Any person, who is selling his goods and gives them the general appearance of goods of another manufacturer or dealer, either as to the goods themselves or in the wrapping of the packages in which they are contained, or the devices or words thereon, or in any other feature of their appearance, which would be likely to influence purchasers to believe that the goods offered are those of a manufacturer or dealer, other than the actual manufacturer or dealer, or who otherwise clothes the goods with such appearance as shall deceive the public and defraud another of his legitimate trade, or any subsequent vendor of such goods or any agent of any vendor engaged in selling such goods with a like purpose;

(b) Any person who by any artifice, or device, or who employs any other means calculated to induce the false belief that such person is offering the services of another who has identified such services in the mind of the public; or

(c) Any person who shall make any false statement in the course of trade or who shall commit any other act contrary to good faith of a nature calculated to discredit the goods, business or services of another.

168.4. The remedies provided by Sections 156, 157 and 161 shall apply mutatis mutandis. (Sec. 29, R.A. No. 166a)

X-Play is not the producer of the goods. If the goods were bought in good faith from the supplier in good faith, it's legitimate parallel importation.

Only the publisher can charge DataBlitz, if the publisher has a policy of non-reselling, but it should show that its products are clearly labelled that they are not for resale.

However, in other cases, judges have ruled against publishers who have a non-resale policy, though this is not universal, and sometimes the ruling goes the other way. However, in regards to video games, the judges usually side with the customer.