MS scared of competition?

CeBIT-report
Sony\'s Pressrelease

Xbox won a prize at the German CeBIT show today..
But did MS win the prize in a fair way?

Read this

(16.03.2002, 21:05)
"Ein großer Mitbewerber" hat Sony über die CeBIT-Messeleitung aufgefordert, die am Sony-Stand gezeigten PlayStation-2-Konsolen zu entfernen.


(my german is terrible so I\'ll let Babblefish do the dirty work)
" a large competitor " requested Sony over the CeBIT management to remove the PlayStation-2-Konsolen shown at the Sony status.

what price did they win, and is Xbox on showing at CeBit?

Is this a Hardware prize?  I can\'t read german.

Translation from Sony.de

Hanover, the 16,03,02 - on the world largest computer fair CeBIT 2002 was confronted the Sony Germany GmbH with a contradiction to its product presentation on the part of another issuing enterprise. In order to protect the fair peace, the management of the Sony Germany GmbH in closest co-operation with the management of the Sony computer Entertainment Germany GmbH decided immediately to initiate an unusual measure:

the other article

for years the exhibitor guidelines in things Multimedia and plays were continued to intensify ever: Play manufacturers are not desired on the CeBIT. But against the PlayStation-2-Konsolen so far nobody intervened - until Saturday afternoon.

How CHIP on-line one from reliable source experienced, Sony wants to have its consoles removed on Sunday spectacularly from the fairground, " around the fair peace not to endanger ". " we are surprised by the violent reaction of this exhibitor ", said Udo Freialdenhofen, employer speaker of the Sony Germany, on Saturday evening opposite CHIP on-line one.

An amicable agreement with the exhibitor was unfortunately not possible. Therefore one will immediately begin these at Sunday mornings with the reduction of the 27 PlayStation-2-Konsolen, there " probably the nomenclature of the world largest computer fair does not correspond ".

Sony Germany is represented in hall 2 with a 2,000 square meters large status, the area with the play console PS2 takes up fewer than five per cent of it.

CHIP on-line one means:
The success printing on Microsoft in things Xbox is largely, obviously whole contrary to the paragraph numbers for the European start. How otherwise could one interpret the kindische complaint during the management? And although the Mediamarkt and Saturn offer the new console to approximately 80 euro under the usual market price. Little more self-confident its would not have harmed Microsoft.

Something is fishy

With GameCube sales in the US nearly catching up to Xbox sales (with fewer "good" GCN games coming out) and so-so sales in Asian and European markets.. Microsoft is going to have to do something. They can\'t catch PS2 no matter what..

Cheating, however.. is just going to tarnish their image more.

PlayStation 2 gets kicked out of CeBit

ZDNet (UK)
March 18, 2002, 5:00 AM PT

by Steve Homer, Special to ZDNet UK

Less than a week after Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer told visitors to the massive CeBIT exhibition in Germany that he wanted to see a warmer, friendlier Microsoft, his company has become embroiled in a row with Sony over gaming consoles.
Microsoft complained to the show organizers, Hannover Messe AG, that Sony was breaching show rules by letting people play on Sony PlayStation 2 game consoles. Technically, this was right and the Messe was forced to act on the complaint.

Sony approached Microsoft to find a compromise and entered into protracted discussions with the Messe for a deal acceptable for all parties, but none could be found. On Sunday morning Sony started packing up its 27 PS2s. The show, in Hannover, Germany, officially finishes on Wednesday.



Microsoft officials denied that the company had complained to the Messe. But the show organizers confirmed that Richard Roy, vice president, corporate strategy, had complained.

Sony has shown PlayStation consoles for the past three years without any problem, and the Messe said it would not have worried about the situation if Microsoft had not complained.

The incident appeared all the more bizarre because Microsoft had been busy showing the Xbox on its stand with employees demonstrating its console.

They are getting desperate!
What MS.. Are ya scared?

Personally I don\'t see what the big deal is.  Sony was violating a rule, but on the other hand the rule in question wasn\'t that big of a deal.  I don\'t think by getting Sony and the PS2 kicked out of the show MS will sell any more Xbox\'s than if Sony would have stayed.

Besides the publicity how does this really effect sales?  Is the publicity that great that the show is that important?  Maybe someone from Europe can explain the impact of this...

Ummm, any company worth it\'s salt will try to disrupt another company\'s effort. It happens all the time. It\'s actually kind of funny.

Who cares?

Ace

well i guess MS is tired of hearing complaints and figured they wanted to complain about something for a change


but seriously i dont find this too much of a big deal - they had the right to complain but the only thing thats lame is they wouldnt compromise with sony and just left them the option to leave

thats the only thing thats stupid

One of the many reasons Why I hate the xbox

this is EXACTLY why I hate the xbox

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that Sony is pure of heart and that\'s why you prefer the PS2?

Ace

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that Sony is pure of heart and that\'s why you prefer the PS2?

No company is pure of hear
but I certainly don\'t see sony pulling stunts like that..

I should have said "one of the many reasons"

*goes to edit*

well trust me sony if given the chance probaly would have been the bully just as well

fight fire with fire as they

as cheap as it may seem - its called business

Whoever\'s signature phrase is "Take Off The Blinder\'s For A Bit...", please apply it here to Chrono.

You say Sony never pulled any stunts like this to get an edge on the competition?

Remember when Sony blackmailed retailers to display all PS2 products at the front of the store and relegate all competitors to some corner, or else they would not receive any PS2\'s?

Stop bashing MS while turning a deaf ear to Sony\'s tactics.