Dbrand has revealed a brand-new design for its PS5 Darkplates just days after yanking the originals from sale.
If you weren’t familiar with the original Darkplates, they looked exactly like the side shells of a PS5, but instead of being white, they were matte black. In its marketing of the first version, the company baited Sony to “Go ahead, sue us,” and Sony unsurprisingly followed up with a legal threat. Shockingly, just days after making a big public stink about Sony forcing it to pull the old version, Dbrand is already ready with a new design. The company says they’ve been in development since September, but conveniently would not tell us when Sony sent the cease-and-desist to begin with.
Darkplates 2.0 look a little different than the original model. While they still attach to the sides of the PS5, the new Darkplates are more rounded instead of having quite as much of the sharp, popped collar-look that’s closely associated with Sony’s console. (They also now have a prominent vent right next to the PS5’s fan.) The new Darkplates come in three colors — matte black, a “retro gray,” and white.
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But is the new design enough of a difference to avoid Sony’s ire? Dbrand claims so, even going so far as to bold some of the text for us:
By creating a brand new design, Darkplates 2.0 successfully closes the loop on this dispute and neutralizes any future infringement claims from Sony.
However, in the original cease and desist letter, Sony threatens to initiate legal action unless Dbrand does three things:
1. Promptly and permanently cease and take down all marketing and promotion for and cease all sales worldwide of faceplates featuring the product configuration of SIE’s PSS faceplates or any similar product configuration, including without limitation all faceplates currently for sale at dbrand com;
2. Promptly and permanently cease and take down all marketing and promotion for and cease all sales worldwide of products or packaging bearing the PlayStation Family Mark, the Modified Shape Mark Design, any other PlayStation Mark, or any other indicia of SIE; and
3. Promptly and permanently cease and take down all use worldwide of the PlayStation Marks, any similar marks, and any other marks, branding or indicia associated with SIE or its affiliates, including without limitation within product names.
Dbrand wouldn’t go quite that far, saying the company is effectively complying with items two and three. The company also raises its own version of the question: “Is Sony still going to sue you assholes?”
The answer? Probably. The difference this time is that we’ve created an original design for which they have no basis to allege infringement. If they want to try, they’d better be ready to pay our legal fees.
The new Darkplates will cost $59 during preorders and $69 when they’re available on a regular basis. Dbrand says the first batch will ship in November, and stock will go out in monthly waves after.
Correction 9:10PM ET: The new Darkplates come in three colors, not two. We regret the error.
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