Over the weekend we received a politely threatening email from a firm of Taiwan-based lawyers asking us to remove the story entitled 'New Slim PlayStation 3 Pix Torn Down', which we we ran on May 14th.

Not only were we asked to remove the entire web page in question - which included comment from analysts on the potential for a new, slim, PS3 - we were also asked to keep the request from the lawyers, acting on behalf of an unnamed client, hushed up.

We're comfortable enough removing images from the story as they could have been obtained illegally. We are not, however, going to be gagged in our reporting of threats made against us on behalf of an unnamed company via its lawyers.

In fact, the whole thing looks to have backfired on both attorney and client (which, until we are told otherwise, we assume to be a Chinese or Taiwanese fabrication plant). In the original story, we said: "these images could be more indicative of a newer, cheaper, console. Of course, they could also be the idle fakery of someone who appears to love truly ugly machines."

It appears now that the latter is false: nobody hires lawyers to defend the confidentiality of Internet-posted fake photos. Unless the images did indicate some form of existing, alternative PS3 design, nobody threatens a website for reporting on such images.

We are obviously now trying to discover whether the images in question are of an ancient prototype PlayStation 3 or of a new PS3 Slim or something else entirely.

The text of the legal threat reads:

"Dear Sirs,
As appointed by our client, we hereby inform you that the web pages on your website (as attached hereto) contain some of our client's confidential documents and photos, which were highly possibly illegally released and posted.

We are investigating this violation and will bring all necessary legal actions regarding this matter. In order to protect the confidential information and prevent you from further legal issues and infringements, please immediately remove those pages and keep our request confidential. Thank you for your cooperation.

Your cooperation is deeply appreciated.

Very truly yours

James Lan
For the firm
Attorney-at-law
Li Mo & Associates"

http://news.spong.com/article/17968/PS3_Slim_Confirmed_Lawyers_Demand_SPOnG_Removes_Pix

It is 100% confirmed now..no questions asked, Nice SONY

Its not confirmed until sony says so, this can be all made up bullcrap.  Im all for a cheaper ps3 though

true

If its not announced at e3 then its pretty much debunks it

Will more than likely be at E3.

I think Sony is actually going through with this, bringing the price down to $299.99 and making some profit could be HUGE!!

Nice Sig Rafichamp

"--and keep our request confidential." Sounds good :D

Anyway, the title didn't convince be but the rest pretty much did; well, at least the message they got. In which case it's no surprise they didn't want the message released. Of course it could be something else... Like another fake piece of news we've seen recently (about MGS4 though). But anyway, now I'm only waiting to see how Sony's going to handle the case: a Slim announcement at E3, a price cut at E3 and a Slim later, or something else. Though I am a bit unsure still...

@rafichamp: I doubt they're going to make profit at $299 in any case - not any time soon. Not without a Slim, not with it. Still, they're probably getting closer to breaking even or increasing sales pretty much.

Unfortunately those do not go hand in hand.  thhey may not see profitablity until FY 2010