Sony defeated in Playstation emulator battle

Bleem is expected to start shipping its Sony emulation software for the PC today, following its triumph in a legal battle with Sony.

Bleem emerged the winner of a court case in the US late Friday in which Sony Entertainment of America requested a restraining order to block shipments of the Bleem emulator, claiming that it infringes copyrights.

?We thought Sony would be thrilled at the prospect of a huge new market of potential customers, and even appreciate our efforts to support, protect, and respect the interests of Playstation developers. So when we received our first letter from Sony's in-house counsel, we were taken aback,? said Bleem in a statement.

?Victory in today's court appearance is but the first in what looks to be a long and costly battle that will benefit no one," Bleem added.

The Bleem emulator incorporates 3D acceleration and runs on Intel Pentium based systems and is compatible with around 440 Playstation games. Bleem has confirmed it is now working on a Mac version which is due to ship in the second half of this year.

Connectix Virtual Game Station emulation software was the second product to go up against Sony in court on Friday. Sony is seeking a preliminary injunction against Connectix for selling its $50 emulation package that turns an Apple Power Mac into a Playstation.

Connectix said that no decision was made by the court. A verdict is expected this week. Meanwhile Connectix confirmed that it is cracking ahead with developing a Playstation emulator for the PC.

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