ABS-CBN News reported that Local software distributor X-Play Online Games Inc. aired its side on Tuesday regarding last night’s raid of several DataBlitz outlets in Metro Manila.
The Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized over P2.6 million worth of software products on Monday from DataBlitz, which is considered one of the country’s major gaming stores.
In a press statement, X-Play said DataBlitz acquired and distributed the 'NBA 2K13' video game "through unauthorized means." X-Play is the exclusive distributor of NBA gaming titles in the country.
According to X-Play, DataBlitz was made aware of the company’s marketing and distribution plans for the game, providing details of meetings between the two parties. "This is not a knee-jerk reaction from X-Play. In fact, meetings were held with DataBlitz president Winston Lim and his team to become X-Play's primary partner for NBA 2K13," the company said.
"DataBlitz key executives Sandra Lu and Orpha Oambas even participated in X-Play's distributor conferences and got all the marketing and distribution plans of the company. DataBlitz's decision to acquire and distribute NBA 2K13 through unauthorized means despite these efforts left X-Play no other option but to report this to the proper authorities, in which CIDG and the Regional Trial Court took immediate action on. The action of DataBlitz was not only detrimental to X-Play but also affected other smaller retailers, game stores and entrepreneurs. We hope nothing more but to resolve this predicament but will hold firm in protecting the industry from smugglers and illegal operators."
Hours after the CIDG raid was reported, several Filipinos turned to blogs and social media to vent their ire on X-Play, saying that DataBlitz is one of the few remaining shops in the country selling legitimate copies of gaming software.
To Our Beloved Gaming Community & Friends,
Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, will be remembered as a day of infamy and shame for the gaming industry with XPlay initiating a disgraceful harassment action against DataBlitz for alleged selling of "unauthorized" stocks of NBA 2K13.
Yesterday, XPlay released an official statement listing down various details of meetings between XPlay and DataBlitz in the weeks leading to the launch of NBA 2K13. In spite of all that's been said in their press release, they've conveniently omitted the most pertinent details:
1. All the meetings that took place between Xplay and DataBlitz were initiated at the request of XPlay. DataBlitz has never asked to meet with XPlay and were only asked to participate in meetings and/or to join XPlay's so-called "marketing programs" (which are really nothing more than just glamorized parlor game events). DataBlitz participated in the meetings and "marketing programs" out of courtesy to XPlay and no such thing as "primary partnership", whatsoever was ever discussed, offered, nor penned on paper, whatsoever.
2. Apart from just saying that they will be distributing NBA 2K13, XPlay has never indicated in any form of writing or communications whatsoever to DataBlitz that they are the exclusive distributor of the game.
3. Thirdly, and this is the most important and glaring omission in XPlay's press release: in spite of the above, the fact is that DataBlitz still went ahead and purchased a considerable quantity of NBA 2K13 stocks from XPlay as a gesture of goodwill towards XPlay, even knowing that they are still very new to the industry of console games, without any proven track record whatsoever to speak of along this front.
However, it is the understanding of DataBlitz that XPlay is just another reseller of the game, and as we still live in a free country the last time we checked, DataBlitz reserves its right to buy stocks of the game from other sources, apart from XPlay, so long as these are legitimate, genuine, brand-new, original games, that are and always have been the hallmark of our product offerings to our customers.
DataBlitz has been in the gaming industry for over 17 years now, and our record speaks for itself, we have always maintained a pristine reputation as the one reliable source for original and genuine games at reasonable prices. From the very beginning when piracy dominated the market 17 years ago and up to this day that we have been able to steadily educate our consumers (without harassing anyone) about buying and patronizing original games and software, we have remained steadfast in our core belief of looking after the welfare of the gaming public first and foremost.
If there suddenly are now parties out there who see the vibrancy of the gaming industry as a way to profit immensely by using sham claims of being the only party that possesses "authorized" stocks (whatever that means) in order to shove overpriced games down the throats of the gaming public, this kind of modus is just against the core principles of DataBlitz and something we just cannot and will not go along with.
At the end of the day, we have the welfare of our customers at heart, not the twisted desires of these opportunists. Even if it means this will be a lonely battle, as Monday's events have shown that we were very obviously the only one unjustly and unreasonably singled out, we shall always remain as the one beacon of light and hope for gamers everywhere and carry on the good fight to stop such forms of profiteering through harassment.
( Everythinginbudget )
