Playstation 2 is responsible for African Wars

Source

Playstation 2 component incites African war
Console war reaches past the couch and into the Congo, claims report.



Has the video game industry dug up its very own blood diamond?

According to a report by activist site Toward Freedom, for the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation 2 game console has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

Allegedly, the demand for coltan prompted Rwandan military groups and western mining companies to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the rare metal, often by forcing prisoners-of-war and even children to work in the country's coltan mines.

"Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King.

So where's the connection to Sony? According to Toward Freedom, during the 2000 launch of the PS2, the electronics giant was having trouble meeting consumer demand. To pump out more units, Sony required a significant increase in the production of electric capacitors, which are primarily made with tantalum. This helped drive the world price of the powder from $49/pound to a whopping $275/pound, resulting in the frenzied scouring of the Congolese hills known for being ripe with coltan.

Sony has since sworn off using tantalum acquired from the Congo, claiming that current builds of the PS2, PSP and PS3 consoles are sourced from a variety of mines in several different countries.

But according to researcher David Barouski, they're hardly off the hook.

"SONY's PlayStation 2 launch...was a big part of the huge increase in demand for coltan that began in early 1999," he explained. "SONY and other companies like it, have the benefit of plausible deniability, because the coltan ore trades hands so many times from when it is mined to when SONY gets a processed product, that a company often has no idea where the original coltan ore came from, and frankly don't care to know. But statistical analysis shows it to be nearly inconceivable that SONY made all its PlayStations without using Congolese coltan."jazreal

this goes to show how ps2 is still selling.

[QUOTE="jazreal"]Source

Playstation 2 component incites African war
Console war reaches past the couch and into the Congo, claims report.



Has the video game industry dug up its very own blood diamond?

According to a report by activist site Toward Freedom, for the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation 2 game console has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

Allegedly, the demand for coltan prompted Rwandan military groups and western mining companies to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the rare metal, often by forcing prisoners-of-war and even children to work in the country's coltan mines.

"Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King.

So where's the connection to Sony? According to Toward Freedom, during the 2000 launch of the PS2, the electronics giant was having trouble meeting consumer demand. To pump out more units, Sony required a significant increase in the production of electric capacitors, which are primarily made with tantalum. This helped drive the world price of the powder from $49/pound to a whopping $275/pound, resulting in the frenzied scouring of the Congolese hills known for being ripe with coltan.

Sony has since sworn off using tantalum acquired from the Congo, claiming that current builds of the PS2, PSP and PS3 consoles are sourced from a variety of mines in several different countries.

But according to researcher David Barouski, they're hardly off the hook.

"SONY's PlayStation 2 launch...was a big part of the huge increase in demand for coltan that began in early 1999," he explained. "SONY and other companies like it, have the benefit of plausible deniability, because the coltan ore trades hands so many times from when it is mined to when SONY gets a processed product, that a company often has no idea where the original coltan ore came from, and frankly don't care to know. But statistical analysis shows it to be nearly inconceivable that SONY made all its PlayStations without using Congolese coltan."virtuas

this goes to show how ps2 is still selling.

people are really trying too hard to instigate stuff that doesnt need it on this board...ice144

What's funny is didn't the Xbox use the exact same metal? But because it completely sucked in sales, no one is going to mention it.

News flash to everyone, you probably don't want to know where your shoes, clothes, toys, ect... were made if you think this story is bad.

I'll be the first to point it out:

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

yeah, Samsung is as much to blame as Sony.

What's funny is didn't the Xbox use the exact same metal? But because it completely sucked in sales, no one is going to mention it.

News flash to everyone, you probably don't want to know where your shoes, clothes, toys, ect... were made if you think this story is bad.

darthogre

[QUOTE="virtuas"]

[QUOTE="jazreal"]Source

Playstation 2 component incites African war
Console war reaches past the couch and into the Congo, claims report.



Has the video game industry dug up its very own blood diamond?

According to a report by activist site Toward Freedom, for the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation 2 game console has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

Allegedly, the demand for coltan prompted Rwandan military groups and western mining companies to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the rare metal, often by forcing prisoners-of-war and even children to work in the country's coltan mines.

"Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King.

So where's the connection to Sony? According to Toward Freedom, during the 2000 launch of the PS2, the electronics giant was having trouble meeting consumer demand. To pump out more units, Sony required a significant increase in the production of electric capacitors, which are primarily made with tantalum. This helped drive the world price of the powder from $49/pound to a whopping $275/pound, resulting in the frenzied scouring of the Congolese hills known for being ripe with coltan.

Sony has since sworn off using tantalum acquired from the Congo, claiming that current builds of the PS2, PSP and PS3 consoles are sourced from a variety of mines in several different countries.

But according to researcher David Barouski, they're hardly off the hook.

"SONY's PlayStation 2 launch...was a big part of the huge increase in demand for coltan that began in early 1999," he explained. "SONY and other companies like it, have the benefit of plausible deniability, because the coltan ore trades hands so many times from when it is mined to when SONY gets a processed product, that a company often has no idea where the original coltan ore came from, and frankly don't care to know. But statistical analysis shows it to be nearly inconceivable that SONY made all its PlayStations without using Congolese coltan."jazreal

this goes to show how ps2 is still selling.

consumer are all to blame. i blame you, me, and everyone in this forum

God knows what Nintendo has children doing to make Wiis.Jade_Monkey

:lol:

Sorry if you were being serious. But reading that made me laugh.

But yea. They really are pumping out those Wiis

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

[QUOTE="jazreal"][QUOTE="virtuas"]

[QUOTE="jazreal"]Source

Playstation 2 component incites African war
Console war reaches past the couch and into the Congo, claims report.



Has the video game industry dug up its very own blood diamond?

According to a report by activist site Toward Freedom, for the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation 2 game console has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

Allegedly, the demand for coltan prompted Rwandan military groups and western mining companies to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the rare metal, often by forcing prisoners-of-war and even children to work in the country's coltan mines.

"Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King.

So where's the connection to Sony? According to Toward Freedom, during the 2000 launch of the PS2, the electronics giant was having trouble meeting consumer demand. To pump out more units, Sony required a significant increase in the production of electric capacitors, which are primarily made with tantalum. This helped drive the world price of the powder from $49/pound to a whopping $275/pound, resulting in the frenzied scouring of the Congolese hills known for being ripe with coltan.

Sony has since sworn off using tantalum acquired from the Congo, claiming that current builds of the PS2, PSP and PS3 consoles are sourced from a variety of mines in several different countries.

But according to researcher David Barouski, they're hardly off the hook.

"SONY's PlayStation 2 launch...was a big part of the huge increase in demand for coltan that began in early 1999," he explained. "SONY and other companies like it, have the benefit of plausible deniability, because the coltan ore trades hands so many times from when it is mined to when SONY gets a processed product, that a company often has no idea where the original coltan ore came from, and frankly don't care to know. But statistical analysis shows it to be nearly inconceivable that SONY made all its PlayStations without using Congolese coltan."virtuas

this goes to show how ps2 is still selling.

consumer are all to blame. i blame you, me, and everyone in this forum

:lol:

Sorry if you were being serious. But reading that made me laugh.

But yea. They really are pumping out those Wiis

dreamdude

They are now, those kids must of needed some extra motivation because for a while there weren't enough Wiis to go around. The 360 must of been made using child labor, that's the real cause o the RROD.

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

suitmypants

Of course not, everybody knows he's a Nintendo fanboy.

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

suitmypants

Wow you hate Sony so much that you choose to look past the line that says "other electronics"?Ragnarok1051

and Donkey Kong 64 caused 9/11air_wolf_cubed

i thought the air bud movies caused that.. hm, o well

[QUOTE="Ragnarok1051"]Wow you hate Sony so much that you choose to look past the line that says "other electronics"?jazreal

Someone needs a vacation.

[QUOTE="virtuas"][QUOTE="jazreal"][QUOTE="virtuas"]

[QUOTE="jazreal"]Source

Playstation 2 component incites African war
Console war reaches past the couch and into the Congo, claims report.



Has the video game industry dug up its very own blood diamond?

According to a report by activist site Toward Freedom, for the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation 2 game console has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the center of the conflict is the unrefined metallic ore, coltan. After processing, coltan turns into a powder called tantalum, which is used extensively in a wealth of western electronic devices including cell phones, computers and, of course, game consoles.

Allegedly, the demand for coltan prompted Rwandan military groups and western mining companies to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the rare metal, often by forcing prisoners-of-war and even children to work in the country's coltan mines.

"Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King.

So where's the connection to Sony? According to Toward Freedom, during the 2000 launch of the PS2, the electronics giant was having trouble meeting consumer demand. To pump out more units, Sony required a significant increase in the production of electric capacitors, which are primarily made with tantalum. This helped drive the world price of the powder from $49/pound to a whopping $275/pound, resulting in the frenzied scouring of the Congolese hills known for being ripe with coltan.

Sony has since sworn off using tantalum acquired from the Congo, claiming that current builds of the PS2, PSP and PS3 consoles are sourced from a variety of mines in several different countries.

But according to researcher David Barouski, they're hardly off the hook.

"SONY's PlayStation 2 launch...was a big part of the huge increase in demand for coltan that began in early 1999," he explained. "SONY and other companies like it, have the benefit of plausible deniability, because the coltan ore trades hands so many times from when it is mined to when SONY gets a processed product, that a company often has no idea where the original coltan ore came from, and frankly don't care to know. But statistical analysis shows it to be nearly inconceivable that SONY made all its PlayStations without using Congolese coltan."jazreal

this goes to show how ps2 is still selling.

consumer are all to blame. i blame you, me, and everyone in this forum

jsut because we dont know anything about this until now does not mean in some way consumers are not involved. The reason this happen is because of suppy and demand. we deman and they supply at any cost. it said but its true

[QUOTE="jazreal"][QUOTE="Ragnarok1051"]Wow you hate Sony so much that you choose to look past the line that says "other electronics"?Ragnarok1051

Someone needs a vacation.

[QUOTE="Ragnarok1051"]

[QUOTE="jazreal"][QUOTE="Ragnarok1051"]Wow you hate Sony so much that you choose to look past the line that says "other electronics"?jazreal

Someone needs a vacation.

Get off System Wars and go somwhere and relax.

jsut because we dont know anything about this until now does not mean in some way consumers are not involved. The reason this happen is because of suppy and demand. we deman and they supply at any cost. it said but its true virtuas

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

What's funny is didn't the Xbox use the exact same metal? But because it completely sucked in sales, no one is going to mention it.

News flash to everyone, you probably don't want to know where your shoes, clothes, toys, ect... were made if you think this story is bad.

jazreal

And you of course can prove all of this right? Not the sucking at sales part because it's obvious even to MS it SUCKED in sales. I'm talking about them using the metal....how do YOU know where they got really got it?

btw sales sucked so much they dropped that dead weight as soon as they could. How much did they lose in the Xbox brand during those first 4 years again? yeah, sales were good lol......negative 5 billion? Xbox and Gcube sucked in overall sales, stop trying to defend the original ****box just because you are a fanboy. I admit X360 has done much better this gen in the sales department but saying the Xbox sales were anything but horrible last gen is fanboy talk. Heck PS2 sold 4 times as many consoles?

The first xbox did suck in sales whats your point?

And secondly yes this is Sony's fault for making a console people can play and use it to have fun. And some how in a way they knew this would all happen right they knew africa would fight for the metal inside of the console.. lol please stop it this is unbeleivably stupid.

Good, im glad people are putting their lives on the line to give us games consoles.ONLYDOD

You have no soul. They put their lives on the line because theyre forced to.

oh bro, i should have made myself more clear: Agreed :) Believe me, i know what your saying...i just wanted to stress that I did NOT have anything to do with the "contract" or "child labour"...and more so, I would NOT buy a sony product after knowing this...infact...you just solved "our part" of the problem....BOYCOTT sony. I dont buy thier products anywayz....but now..im on a mission :P once again bro, GOOD call :) peace and Godspeedjazreal

So then don't be a hypocrite and also boycott...

• Digital Cameras
• Jet Engines
• Cell Phones
• HDTVs
• Pagers
• MP3 Players
• PDAs
• Automotive Applications, such as GPS systems

Good, im glad people are putting their lives on the line to give us games consoles.ONLYDOD

you, my friend, are indeed very selfish and have no respect for others in the world that suffer.

[QUOTE="ONLYDOD"]Good, im glad people are putting their lives on the line to give us games consoles.charomid

you, my friend, are indeed very selfish and have no respect for others in the world that suffer.

What else is new?

[QUOTE="ONLYDOD"]Good, im glad people are putting their lives on the line to give us games consoles.taj7575

You have no soul. They put their lives on the line because theyre forced to.

and this is not just the PS2 either. Its other companies, like cell phone companies, tv companies, etc...

First blood diamond, now blood metal.

If anyone watched blood diamond the movie, you'd know what crazy **** is going on in Africa right now.

[QUOTE="suitmypants"]

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

t3hTwinky

Of course not, everybody knows he's a Nintendo fanboy.

Please do not blame this on him being a Nintendo fan.

This article is crap and should not have been posted for any reason. Yes it the sole fault of the PS2 that a country is at war. Not the leadership of the country which led itself to war to begin with. It nice of that country to blame everything on someone else and not look at themselves first.

[QUOTE="t3hTwinky"][QUOTE="suitmypants"]

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

HarlockJC

Of course not, everybody knows he's a Nintendo fanboy.

Please do not blame this on him being a Nintendo fan.

This article is crap and should not have been posted for any reason. Yes it the sole fault of the PS2 that a country is at war. Not the leadership of the country which led itself to war to begin with. It nice of that country to blame everything on someone else and not look at themselves first.

exactly. and some countries in Africa are so messed up that the Government cant even control the damn country, and the whole country is run by diamond dealers and killers.

Ah, here we go. :roll:

Sony is teh evil.

Hey guys, I'm going to try and own the PS2 with this fact that is easilly self ownage just as much...why? Because this resource that is being used for "Teh PS2 reign of terror" is used in ALL systems...ya even the 360. wow...I just self owned myself.jazreal

[QUOTE="dreamdude"]

:lol:

Sorry if you were being serious. But reading that made me laugh.

But yea. They really are pumping out those Wiis

Jade_Monkey

They are now, those kids must of needed some extra motivation because for a while there weren't enough Wiis to go around. The 360 must of been made using child labor, that's the real cause o the RROD.

No, thats still M$'s incompetence.

[QUOTE="ice144"]people are really trying too hard to instigate stuff that doesnt need it on this board...jazreal

Did you guys even read the article? The PS2 is not the only product to use the metal, its multiple electronics.. PS2 was just an example.

[QUOTE="ONLYDOD"]Good, im glad people are putting their lives on the line to give us games consoles.taj7575

You have no soul. They put their lives on the line because theyre forced to.

I don't care.

[QUOTE="suitmypants"]

VERY misleading title.

Yeah, Sony is definitely responsible for the wars going on in Africa. Hell, I cant believe a CONSOLE would cause a war.. but youre right, President Omar al-Bashir has nothing to do with it

jazreal

Time to export this to the Off Topic Forum....

At least Kotaku has it right.

This is basically mainstream media bashing gaming again and has nothing to do with Playstation or Sony.

http://kotaku.com/5028998/whats-all-this-playstation-wars-business

We're just curious as to why someone would call this a "PlayStation War", when really, PlayStations had very little to do with it.

See, it's believed that the war was at its worst when the price of tantalum spiked between 1998 and 2001, due to "increased demand". Yes, that timeline coincides with the roll-out of the PS2. But come on. Tantalum is used to make personal computers and mobile phones and DVD players, the sales of which dwarf those of games consoles. 1998-2001 happens to be the time when DVD players first hit the market, when mobile phones first became common place and the internet hit the big time, bringing increased PC usage with it. It was those market conditions that increased demand, not the building of a few million PlayStation consoles.