This PS5 Faceplate Company Is Asking To Be Sued
People really want to customize their PS5, and one company is daring Sony to stop it. Dbrand, a company that makes shells for a variety of tech products, has listed black matte faceplates on its site along with the tagline, "Go ahead, sue us." The listing offers eight different color options for the middle faceplate, along with a signature matte black outer shell. One would be forgiven for thinking Dbrand is openly antagonizing Sony, with the site bragging that it has "taken Sony's monumental achievement in bad design... and made it matte black."
Dbrand also claims to have created a "a familiar-but-legally-distinct apocalyptic spin on the classic PlayStation button shapes" that are just different enough to save the company from a battle in court. The company has carefully worded its ad copy and specifically designed its plates to make a defense against any potential legal action. In fact, the entire description for Dbrand's masterpiece reads like a challenge to Sony. It seems that Dbrand wants to be the first company to stand up to Sony's legal team.
Last November, Customize My Plates, a small company created to produce unofficial faceplates for the PS5, announced that it would sadly be unable to produce the custom plates due to ongoing discussions with Sony's legal team. After taking a brief break, Customize My Plates returned to the faceplate game earlier this year with a new name, announcing that it would produce a Kratos-themed faceplate package. Unfortunately, the custom plates company then cancelled production of the Kratos line, thanks to interference from Sony's legal team. Surprise.
A different company, SUP3R5, ceased production on its custom black PS5s after allegedly receiving threats from an unidentified party. It seems that no company can manage to produce a solution to the black PlayStation dilemma without getting shut down in one way or another.
It's possible that Dbrand has discovered a way to get around Sony's patents, and that it'll successfully sell its third-party black faceplates. Customers who preordered them will find out in a few months. For those who order the black faceplates from Dbrand, they're expected to ship in May 2021, in a sleek box specifically designed for the product. Buyers can choose from a variety of different middle faceplates, including a neon yellow and "robot camo" option. The kit comes with a middleplate, darkplates, and a microfiber cloth to keep the whole thing tidy.
As of now, Dbrand does not offer plates for the digital edition of the PS5, but the company promises digital plates are "coming soon." Perhaps the shared dream of customizing the PS5 is almost realized.