A federal district court on Thursday rejected a request from Sony Computer Entertainment for a temporary restraining order against the maker of software the allows users to play Sony videogames on the Macintosh.
Sony (SNE) filed suit against software maker Connectix on 27 January, saying that Virtual Game Station emulation software was a violation of Sony's intellectual property rights for its PlayStation brand.
"I think it's a big step forward, because it allows us to continue shipping product, which is important to us," said Roy McDonald, CEO of Connectix. "The lawsuit is still scheduled to go forward but we will have to see what decision Sony makes."
The Virtual Game Station software retails for US$50, compared with the $120 cost of a Sony-made PlayStation console. Connectix previewed the emulator at Macworld Expo early last month and released it to the public on 28 January, the day after Sony filed its suit.
According to a Connectix statement, on Thursday afternoon a judge in Federal District Court in San Francisco denied Sony's request for a temporary restraining order that would have kept the software out of the hands of consumers.
Representatives of Sony said Connnectix had approached the electronic giant for technical assistance with the product. Sony declined, according to spokeswoman Molly Smith, because the Virtual Game Station's performance was inferior. Connectix CEO Roy McDonald said he couldn't comment on any conversations he has had with Sony.
