You’d think that unlicensed third party peripheral manufacturers would be wary of a behemoth like Sony, especially when it comes to the PlayStation 5.
But that’s not the case with Dbrand, a company that manufactures cases and skins for various devices, including the Darkplates, a black replacement plate for the PS5. In fact, Dbrand is so confident that it hasn’t breached any copyright, that the website is plastered with communication about it being completely legal, and even going so far as challenging Sony (not by name) to sue. And it has to be noted, they’re quite cocky about it. Thanks for the heads up Eurogamer!
“Darkplates. Go ahead, sue us,” reads a constant message at the top left corner of the website as you scroll downwards. Dbrand goes even further by saying, “It's a little-known fact that Alfred Nobel, in his 1895 will, declared that one day, all Nobel Prizes would be retroactively awarded to dbrand. Sadly, the Nobel Foundation has ignored their founding father’s dying wish. That changes today. With the release of Darkplates, the unthinkable has happened: we've taken Sony's monumental achievement in bad design… and fixed it. We can only assume that our prizes are in the mail.”
The website goes on to explain that the product and its design is completely legal. In a section headlined, “Totally Legal”, Dbrand talks about the texture on the inside of the Darkplates. While the texture is close to the one on the original PS5 plate, it’s just different enough to not get them sued. “A familiar-but-legally-distinct apocalyptic spin on the classic PlayStation button shapes”, as the brand describes it.
The website did not stop bashing Sony’s design (once again, without taking any names), saying that the Darkplate is just one of its PS5 customization options. You can also get your hands on customizable skins which would prevent scratches and fingerprints on the glossy white middle of the console.
As with all things on the internet, the next-gen consoles were mocked for their designs when they were originally revealed; the PS5 was called everything from a wireless router to an ice cream sandwich. However, in October 2020, we noted that the plates for the console could be easily removed. This spun theories of customizable plates, and even resulted in mockups of various themed accessories. It looks like Dbrand paid attention to a set of fans who asked about a black version of the console, and created one of its own. And in case you missed it, the company claims that it’s totally legal.