First to summarize: We posted a rumor after Sony asked us not to and they emailed to say we were no longer welcome at any of their private GDC events and that they would no longer provide us with any information found outside of the public forums.

We posted said e-mail and the Internet imploded.

First, I have to say thank you to all of the websites, newspapers, magazines, people who were so quick to come to our defense and supported our decision to stand by our story.

Second, I want to thank Dave Karraker, head of SCEA PR, who was big enough to call me and talk the whole thing through after this exploded.

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.

It's unfortunate that we, not just Kotaku and Sony, but all of us had to go through this, but it's good to see the outcome: We were doing our job and Sony was doing theirs and now we can both continue to do so. Brian Crecente

The Playstation Home, we reported, would be an intriguing blending of the Mii and achievements, allowing gamers to create a virtual world for customized avatars and then decorate that space with items unlocked through game play.

What readers couldn't have known was the great lengths we went to to try and pin down the veracity of the rumor before publishing and, when finally deciding to go live with the rumor, to make sure we put it in the correct context.

In so doing, Sony asked us not to publish the story, first nicely, then not so much. Sony Computer Entertainment of American representatives reminded us that the story was a rumor and then went on to say that publishing it could harm our professional relationship with them.

When I responded that we were going forward with the story and that sometimes news doesn't come from official sources I was told that if we published we would likely be blackballed by the company.

Specifically, they said we would be asked to return our debug PS3, uninvited from all meetings scheduled with Sony at GDC, including one on blogger relations and a one-on-one with Phil Harrison, and that they would no longer deal with us.

Knowing that, we went forward with the story, choosing not to point out the threats.

Shortly after the story ran, and I forwarded it to Dave Karraker, the senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment of America, to point out we did decide to run it.

Here was his response:

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

I obviously took no joy in receiving it, though I do believe it adds to the veracity of our initial rumor report.

As I told Dave Karraker in reply, this only highlights the differences between what PR people do for a living and what journalists do.

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

Sony's decision is disappointing, not because of what it means to Kotaku, but because of what it means to the industry. Brian Crecente

Ed's Note I just got off the phone with Dave, we were able to resolve our differences.

Valleywag entry at Wikipedia: Created at 10:07 last night, marked for deletion at 10:19.

Valleywag [Wikipedia]

• Free booze
• Could be over 100 attendees
• See the first live-audience taping of Geek Entertainment TV
• No demos
• See Digg founder Kevin Rose, the Valleyschwaggers of Rubyred Labs, House of Shields owner Schlomo Rabinowitz, and commandN vlogger and Call for Help TV co-host Amber MacArthur!
• Rumor is, there's a contingent of sexy PR ladies dropping in.
• Two hundred dollar sponsor Radiohandi is topping off that giant beer tab.
• We're webcasting like it's 1999!

Web Infinity Plus One: The SloshCon [Upcoming.org]

Everyone from the Internet will be there. Will you?

Here's the game plan:

• Drinking starts at 9. Events start at 9:30ish.
• BRING YOUR CAMERA. Or microphone. Or camphone. Or camcorder. We're gonna hold a very special event with all this equipment, and it will make you a better person.
• I'll interview programming superstar David Weekly, whose "you call it stalking, I call it preparedness" service SingleStat.us is turning into a microcosm of the Valley. (We'll explain why.)
• Geek Entertainment TV host Irina Slutsky will interview someone awesome. That someone will probably be dragged, screaming, to the stage.
• The rest of the night is yours. It's open-mike night for anything and everything you have to say about the Internet. Meanwhile, just hang out — that's what conferences are for.

So come knock a few back and yell about the Net. But if you're not funny, we'll throw our drinks at you — after all, they're free.

Web Infinity Plus One: The SloshCon [Upcoming]
Photo: Cheers [Ken Douglas on Flickr]

Keeping in the true spirit of blogging, Web I+1 is a SloshCon — if you're drinking that night, you can't be on stage without a glass of booze in your hand. Easy to do, thanks to the open bar.

And we want speakers. That's right — we want you to come drink our alcohol and yell at people from a stage!

So if you have something to say about the Web, the Singularity, how the robots will destroy us all, or how to flip a startup before you even start it, tell tips@valleywag.com. Just list your name, your subject, and anything witty that crosses your mind. (Debate teams are welcome.)

Earlier: Valleywag Web Infinity Plus One Conference — Next Thursday! [Valleywag]
Optional RSVP: Web Infinity Plus One: The SloshCon [Upcoming.org]
Photo: Frank Chu and Prince Charles [Thomas Hawk on Flickr]

No joke, we're holding a Web Infinity Plus One Conference at the House of Shields a week from today! The top room's reserved and the sponsors are ponying up for the bar tab. The deets:

• Where: San Francisco bar House of Shields
• When: Thursday, 8 June, 9ish PM
• What: Live GETV interview by Irina Slutsky; impromptu drunk speeches; OPEN BAR
• Why: To make a paper trail so Valleywag can pull an O'Reilly.
• $100 Sponsors: Automattic; Mena Trott of Six Apart; STIRR Network; Gawker Media ($250)

Oh boy there's more! Watch Valleywag every day til then for updates on the Best Night This Side of the Singularity!

Web Infinity Plus One: The SloshCon [RSVP on Upcoming.org]
HoS photo: Web 1.0 Summit [Scott Beale on Flickr]

With the posting of the millionth article about Buck's Restaurant (this time in the Seattle P.I.), the Silicon Valley pancake house is now officially in a new golden-brown age.

And the popular restaurant needs the ultimate sign of privilege: a bold-name-spotting map on par with Mediabistro's "Lunch at Michael's" feature. Yes, we need an alliteratively joyful "Breakfast at Buck's."

But Valleywag is currently, well, underrepresented in the town of Woodside, where the VCs flock from Sand Hill Road for Buck's pancakes. So Valleywag needs a weekly Buck's correspondent with a sharp eye for important people and a sharp tongue for telling who's meeting with whom. Be the reigning gossip of Woodside — e-mail tips@valleywag.com with the subject "Buck's reporter" to apply. (Link to your blog if you have one.) Because when Jurvetson orders the Spanish Omelet, you'd better pay attention.

Venture Capital: Silicon Valley's startups booming [Seattle P.I.]
Buck's of Woodside [Official site]

Note about the Apple product launch: it could be their new phone.

The word is that they are supposed to announce it in Q3, but with the MOTO Sliver or Silver or whatever vowel-less monicker adorns the iTunes-playing phone currently sporting real sales (watch for the $1k DG edition in LA soon), there's probably a rush to get to market.

I can say that guys inside aren't buying new phones these days with the expectation to get the new deal.

That'd be a GREAT toy to jealously lust after (because you just know you can't afford that mother). Stay tuned tomorrow morning for some sweet, sweet Apple liveblogging.

Photo: Engadget

Meanwhile, every Web 2.0 event has its 1.0 counterpart, and the mate for Ludwig Gatzke's logo mashup is a stunning Web 1.0 grid with that animated-gif 90s feel. If you recognize the jokes on these buttons, you are old. Here's a preview:

Meanwhile, new markups of the Web 2.0 logo mashup can enter by February 17 to win Yahoo swag. One idea is taken: the Digg Watch Blog has a linklist including every company in the mashup.

Web 1.0 revisited [Complexify via Engadget Japanese]
Web 2.0 Logos and Links [Digg Watch Blog]
Earlier: Flip Trifecta: the race to sell out [Valleywag]
And: Valleywag contest: Mark up the mashup [Valleywag]