Sony recently squashed the sales of teh PS3 Break which started selling in the UK on 13 September. The PS3 Break, an illegal modchip that allows illegal copies of video games to be played on the PlayStation 3.

SCEE reacted quickly to its becoming available, writing to the companies that advertised and stocked the Break device and advising them to desist in selling the illegal product. Most companies that were contacted complied immediately and ceased to stock and to sell the product. Court orders were swiftly obtained against those companies that continued to sell the product and they have now also stopped selling the PS3 Break modchips.

UKIE’s Director General, Michael Rawlinson, said, “Having our member, SCEE, respond so quickly to prevent the sale of illegal PS3 modification chips shows the commitment that the video games and interactive entertainment industry has to stamping out intellectual property theft. Intellectual property theft is a hugely damaging crime both to the individuals whose creativity is stolen and to the businesses that make up Britain’s video games and interactive entertainment industry. UKIE’s own anti-piracy unit works tirelessly to combat the illegal trading of video games and we welcome Sony’s swift and committed response to dealing with the illegal sale of the PS3 Break modchip.”