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Star Wars: First Assault trademarks filed for “interactive video games” [UPDATED]

Star Wars: First Assault

Last week, Lucasfilm (the parent company of LucasArts) secretly registered several “Star Wars: First Assault” domain names like StarWarsFirstAssault.com.  It was suspected that the names had something to do with a yet-to-be announced video game project.

More information has surfaced in recent days in the way of two new trademark applications submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  On August 23, 2012, Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. filed trademarks for “First Assault” (Serial Number: 85711610) and “Star Wars: First Assault” (Serial Number: 85711618).

Both applications cover the same goods and services which, among other things, includes “Entertainment services provided on-line by means of global and local area networks, namely, providing interactive computer games and interactive video games.”

Here’s a look at the full list of goods and services in each filing:

Interactive entertainment software and accompanying instruction manuals sold as a unit, namely, computer game software and manuals sold as a unit, video game software and manuals sold as a unit; video game software, computer game software, and pre-recorded compact discs and DVDs featuring games, films, animation, music, computer game software, and video game software; downloadable video game software and downloadable computer game software; computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones

Books containing puzzles and games; calendars; children’s books; children’s books combined with toys and sold as a unit; comic books; comic magazines; gift books in the field of video games; graphic novels; printed instructional manuals and strategy guides in the field of computer games; magazines in the field of entertainment; markers; non-electronic personal planners and organizers; notebooks; novels for juveniles; pencil cases; pencil sharpeners; pencils; pens; personal organizers; postcards; posters; puzzle books; series of fiction books; sticker albums; sticker books; stickers; temporary tattoos; trading cards; animation cels; lithographic prints; original works of art created from paper; photographic prints; printed art reproductions

Toy action figures; accessories for use with toy action figures; action type target games; balloons; bath toys; board games; card games; cases for action figures; cases for play accessories for action figure, model vehicles and model space craft; connecting links for toy building blocks; construction toys; costume masks; costume masks for dolls; dolls; rubber hi bounce balls; jigsaw puzzles; paper face masks; parlor games; play sets for toy model vehicles, toy model space craft; plush toys; protective pads and padding for skateboarding; role-playing games; toy model space crafts and related accessories sold as units; three-dimensional puzzles; toy action figures; toy building blocks; toy candy dispensers; toy candy holders, namely, plastic candy dispenser designed as a toy; toy coin banks; toy model hobby craft kits for making model spacecraft, model cars and model vehicles; toy model vehicles and related accessories sold as a units; toy modeling dough kits and accessories for use therewith sold as units; toy remote control vehicles, namely, airplanes, spacecraft, boats; toy scooters; toy snow globes; toy vehicles; toy weapons; toy model vehicles and accessories therefore sold as a unit; water squirting toys; wind-up toys; yo-yos; collectible card games; collectible miniature board games, and toy helmets

Entertainment services provided on-line by means of global and local area networks, namely, providing interactive computer games and interactive video games, all on-line by means of global and local area networks; providing news and information in the field of entertainment relating to interactive computer game software and interactive video game software over an electronic network; fan club services

Online social networking services

While little is still known about “Star Wars: First Assault”, the trademark filings offer more insight.

LucasArts has yet to announce anything official.

UPDATE 4 – MARCH 12, 2013:. Kotaku has posted leaked screenshots of the game.  See below:

Star Wars: First Assault video game

Star Wars First Assault screenshot

Star Wars First Assault screenshot

UPDATE 3 – MARCH 11, 2013:. Kotaku reports that Star Wars: First Assault is a downloadable multiplayer shooter that was originally slated for release this spring.  Jason Schreier writes, “First Assault is “step zero” to the heavily-rumored, highly-anticipated Star Wars: Battlefront III. If First Assault sells well—assuming it is released at all—the third Battlefront could be next.”

UPDATE 2 – FEBRUARY 28, 2013:.  Sources familiar with game development at LucasArts have all told Kotaku that development on the game has been frozen or put on hold since the Disney acquisition.

UPDATE 1 – OCTOBER 1, 2012:.  The box art for Star Wars: First Assault for Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) was discovered (via NeoGAF).

Talking about this story:  Game Informer, GameSpot, G4tv, Game Trailers, Joystiq, Computerandvideogames.com, Digital Spy, Escapist Magazine, Everybody Plays, Eurogamer.net, Eurogamer.pt, IGN, Jeux Video.fr, Game Rant, Gamekult.com, Gamed, Gamers.fr, Gameplanet, Blue’s News, Gamespy.com, GameStar, Geek, GMA News, gram.pl, Anakinweb.com, gry-online.pl, Lenta.ru, MCV, MeriStation, Metro, NeoGAF, Kotaku, NowGamer, PC GamesBoa Informação, PlayStation LifeStyle (blog), Shacknews, Shogun Gamer, T3, TheForce.net, tweakers.net, Vandal, Videogamer.com, VG247 and We Got This Covered

(Image of the TIE fighter via StarWars.com)

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Movies News Video Games

Sony Pictures registers a slew of ‘Console War’ movie domain names

Playstation 4 PS4 concept

The next generation of console wars between Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft is set to begin as all three manufacturers are due to release a new console in the near future.  Nintendo plans to release the Wii U in 2012, while the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 are expected in 2013.  Adding to the “war of consoles”, Sony Pictures has registered several domain names this week like ConsoleWarmovie.com (Whois) and TheConsoleWarmovie.com (Whois).

Could ‘Console War’ actually be a movie or just a creative marketing video promoting the Playstation 4?

What hints that this is more than just a video, is the names were all registered by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the television and film production/distribution unit of Sony.  The names weren’t registered by Sony Computer Entertainment, the video game company.

Either way, there doesn’t appear to be any news coming out of Sony on the subject, but Sony Pictures Entertainment has picked up well over a dozen names.

Each domain was registered on August 23, 2012, through the brand protection company MarkMonitor.

The full list includes:

console-war.net
console-warmovie.com
console-wars.net
console-warsmovie.com
consolewar-movie.com
consolewar-movie.net
consolewar.net
consolewarmovie.com
consolewars-movie.com
consolewars-movie.net
consolewarsmovie.com
theconsolewar-movie.com
theconsolewar-movie.net
theconsolewar.net
theconsolewarmovie.com
theconsolewars-movie.com
theconsolewars-movie.net
theconsolewarsmovie.com

At the time of this story, none of the domains resolve to a web page.

Talking about this story: Kotaku, Screen Rant, Collider.com, /Film, G4tv, Digital Spy, IGN, Tapscape, Game Informer, GameZone, Push Square, gamona.de, games.on.net, NU.nl, I Am Rogue.com, 411mania.com, WorstPreviews.com, The Escapist, OnlineWelten.com, Side Mission (blog), Techzine, Spong, JoystiqLe Journal du Geek and VG247

(Image of Playstation 4 concept by Tai Chiem)

Categories
Movies News Video Games

Lucasfilm secretly registers ‘Star Wars First Assault’ domain names

Star Wars First Assault

Lucasfilm, the parent company of LucasArts, appears to have another big project in the works, this one called “Star Wars First Assault” according to several domains the company secretly purchased this week.

On August 22, 2012, names like StarWarsFirstAssault.com (Whois) and StarWarsFA.com (Whois) were registered through the internet brand protection agency Corporation Service Company (CSC).  And you can bet Lucasfilm is the registrant behind the names, as they are a well known client of CSC, which protects many of the world’s most valuable brands.  CSC is the same registrar responsible for managing flagship names like StarWars.com (Whois).

The fact the names were all privately registered, indicates the company is trying to keep the project under wraps for now.

Here’s the full list:

starwarsfa.com
starwarsfa.net
starwarsfa.de
starwarsfa.co.uk
starwarsfirstassault.com
starwarsfirstassault.net
starwarsfirstassault.de
starwarsfirstassault.co.uk
swfirstassault.com
swfirstassault.net
swfirstassault.de
swfirstassault.co.uk

No trademark application has been filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office nor has the company announced anything about this project, so it’s unknown if it’s related to a video game, film, or some other Star Wars product.

The domains aren’t much help either.

At the time of this story, most of the names resolve to a blank web page.

Talking about this story: GameZone

Categories
News Video Games

Ubisoft registers several ‘Assassin’s Creed Initiate’ domain names

Assassin's Creed Initiate

With all the Assassin’s Creed buzz focused on the upcoming release of Assassin’s Creed III, Ubisoft has registered a slew of domains for another project in the franchise called “Assassin’s Creed: Initiate”.

On August 21, 2012, Ubisoft went out and registered names like AssassinsCreedInitiate.com (Whois), AssassinsInitiate.com (Whois) and ACinitiate.com (Whois) – a dozen in total.

The full list of domain registrations includes:

ac-initiate.com
ac-initiates.com
acinitiate.com
acinitiates.com
assassins-initiate.com
assassins-initiates.com
assassinscreed-initiate.com
assassinscreed-initiates.com
assassinscreedinitiate.com
assassinscreedinitiates.com
assassinsinitiate.com
assassinsinitiates.com

At this point, it’s unknown what the exact plans are for “Assassin’s Creed Initiate” or “Assassin’s Creed Initiates”, whatever the official title may be.

Could it be for a new videogame? A tie-in to the launch of Assassin’s Creed III? Or some other media or event?

Ubisoft has made no official announcement, so we’ll have to wait and see a little bit longer.

On a domain-related note, Ubisoft also registered GhostReconfuturesoldierravenstrike.com (Whois) for the next DLC pack for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which was announced just yesterday.

Talking about this story:  Computerandvideogames.com, Cinema Blend, Curse.com, Escapist Magazine, Gamed, Game Informer, Game Rant, iDigitalTimes.com, IGN, MeriStation, playm.de, Playstation Universe, VG247 and Tecmundo

Categories
News Video Games

Lucasfilm (parent of LucasArts) registers Ewok Village domain for unknown project

Ewok Village

It’s not everyday that Lucasfilm registers a new domain name.

The last time the company picked up anything of note was back in early May when the company registered eight domains related to Star Wars: 1313, which turned out to be a video game that is creating quite a buzz.  So, it may be worth paying attention to a domain name the company registered on August 20, 2012, through the brand protection agency Corporation Service Company – ewok-village.com.

Ewok Village is the home of the furry Ewoks on the forest moon Endor.

While the domain may be nothing more than the company protecting its intellectual property or unannounced plans for a new action playset for the 2012 holiday season, it’s possible LucasArts could have an Ewok Village video game in the works.

For now, it’s all just speculation.

If you’re wondering why Lucasfilm didn’t register EwokVillage.com (no hyphen), that’s because the name was first registered back in 2005 by someone else.  Today, it’s a puppies website that has a picture of Ewoks on the homepage.

At the time of this story being published, the domain name does not resolve to a web page.

Talking about this story: Games.com News (blog)

(Image of Ewok Village via Wookieepedia)