If you haven't read the Sony drama yet today, then check out part one first.

Oh Sony. Sony, Sony, Sony. Why do I even give you the respect of capitalizing your brand name? After taking a giant shit on Kotaku, sony then began to shit themselves as they realized what they had done: Empowered Kotaku enough to ruin their image worse than we've seen in months. Ok, only days - we all remember "How to Kill a Brand" from last week. The "sony Blackballs Kotaku" story spread faster on the Internet than leaked naked pics of Kaz Hirai delivered to your doorstop by Riiiiidge Racer, and sony decided to kiss ass and make up. Here's the update from Brian Crecente:

He told me his take on the story and his frustrations and I told him mine, in the end we agreed to disagree on some level, but also decided that our readers and gamers in general would be best served if Sony and Kotaku could still play nicely together.

In a nutshell: The story remains up and Sony has re-invited us to the meetings and interviews initially scheduled for the Game Developers Conference.

Actually, we'd be best served if you gave a damn about us sony. I highly advise you never play a game of chess - storming out into battle early like a bitchy queen only leads to retreating like a retard - way to make this a lose-lose situation by confirming a rumor, confirming you're a bunch of asses, and then confirming you're also a bunch of pussies. Team America: World Police has an elaborate metaphor that just so happens to fit this situation perfectly. Pretend this is a speech from sony:

"We're dicks! We're reckless, arrogant, stupid dicks. And Nintendo are pussies. And Xbox 360 is an asshole. Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes: assholes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick, with some balls (Crecente). The problem with dicks is: they fuck too much or fuck when it isn't appropriate (a few days before GDC) - and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies can be so full of shit that they become assholes themselves... because pussies are an inch and half away from ass holes (Wii60). I don't know much about this crazy, crazy world, but I do know this: If you don't let us fuck this asshole, we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shit! (what just happened)"

It's cases like this that this gaming culture slang term was invented: PWNED. Nothing more needs to be said, that is all.

Scroll down a bit to the next post and you'll see plenty of spicy PS3 rumors that Kotaku started about Sony's appearance at the Game Developers Conference in a few days from now. Only a few hours have passed and Sony has already responded to the rumor with some rectal reasoning for why the article should not have been posted. Sony basically told them that if they published the article (which Kotaku tried to verify with Sony for authenticity), that Sony would blacklist them from interviews at events, and take them off of internal email lists, as well as act like a bitchy divorced lover and ask for some of their mailed goods back. Gee, think the rumor might be true now? Way to keep your cool and not throw a fit, here's the ominous email Kotaku received from Sony:  

Brian, this is an email I was really hoping I would never have to write, but it is what it is. When I came on board here at Sony, I made every effort to be as inclusive as possible to media and the blogging community in an effort to improve previously damaged relationships. This included getting people access to executives, opening our events to more individuals and personally responding as quickly as possible to inquiries. This was done in good faith with the thought that the people I was working with would operate with the same integrity and courtesy I think I demonstrated when I was a reporter. Basically, I went out on a limb for a lot of people -- people SCEA PR and SCEA management had written off. I caught a lot of flack for it from folks, but I felt strongly it was the right thing to do.

I am very disappointed that after trying to work with you as closely as possible and provide you and your team with access and information, you chose to report on this rumor.... I can't defend outlets that can't work cooperatively with us.

So, it is for this reason, that we will be canceling all further interviews for Kotaku staff at GDC and will be dis-inviting you to our media event next Tuesday. Until we can find a way to work better together, information provided to your site will only be that found in the public forum.

Again, I take absolutely no joy in sending you this note, but given the situation you have put me into, I have no choice.

Dave Karraker
Sr. Director, Corporate Communications
Sony Computer Entertainment America

No word yet on whether we'll see the two on Judge Judy fighting over a couch and who gets to keep the dog, but things are definitely over between the two. Kotaku basically said "Mmmm, kay, fuck you." Here was their reply to Sony:

Dave, Obviously I disagree with your decision, but it sounds like your mind is made up. I think this only highlights the differences that PR people and journalists have. My interest is not in making sure that Sony has positive news or that the timing of their news is correct, my job only is to inform the readers of news as quickly and accurately as I can. Hopefully, one day this dispute will settle down and you will reopen communication with us. Know this, while I disagree with this decision and think it is a monumental mistake, it will not effect our continuing coverage of Sony and the gaming software and hardware your company makes and supports. Take care, Brian

Damn, Brian Crecente's balls weigh more than a whole PS3 - telling off 1/3 of the next generation of gaming takes some serious gaming guts. The journalism-to-public-relations relationship has always been an odd symbiosis in the industry - birds eating bugs off a water buffalo's back isn't exactly love, but the bird still doesn't peck at the beast's balls on a bad day, this is one of the most disgraceful professional communications I've ever seen. Kotaku was just doing their job and trying to report the facts to the media, before someone else discovered the rumor and reported it inaccurately. Spreading misinformation is a serious issue, but when Kotaku has direct connections with Sony and they refuse to confirm or deny a rumor, but threaten to take action if the rumor gets published, then we have a very serious problem.

Haven't you been shit on enough Sony? This is a terrible way of dealing with drama. Just because Kotaku was doing their job and ruined your pleasure of making certain announcements at a certain time (GDC), doesn't give you the right to pull rank - this isn't hurting Kotaku as much as it's hurting your public image in the game industry, you'd think Sony would have learned by now. You don't have the right to decide which news gets reported and how and when it gets published. ..I.. <- Middle finger right back at you Sony, if you're gonna blacklist one of the biggest and best gaming blogs on the Internet, then be prepared for an extended amount of assholery coming right back from me and millions of other online ranters. Until now I've only upheld my obligation to be a dick equally among all industry fuckups, making sure to take advantage of Sony's rocky start with the PS3, but I'll now be holding a grudge against you for the first time. You need to be working with the media, not distancing your fans after being so arrogant and deceitful over the last year. Needless to day, GDC will be quite interesting. 

Thanks to all of you who submitted this news, and major kudos to Kotaku for doing the right thing. Feel free to give all their editors free blowjobs, or feel free to defend Sony and get no sympathy from me.