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Will Microsoft call its next generation console the Xbox Fusion? Domain names point to yes

Xbox Fusion

If Microsoft has learned anything from its previous mistakes with launching a product without the matching domains — then it’s quite possible that the company’s next generation console will be called the “Xbox Fusion”.

Microsoft owns the name in a variety of different extensions and it has for years.

Speculation about the name being called “Xbox Fusion” isn’t anything new.  But what separates “Xbox Fusion” and only a few other names from the rest of the list, is that not only does Microsoft own the dot-com (WHOIS), it owns a slew of other domains like XboxFusion.info, XboxFusion.biz, XboxFusion.de, XboxFusion.co.uk – the list goes on and on.

Speculation of the next gen console’s name has gone wild, fueled lately by the recent leak on Reddit of what may be the logo.

Names being kicked around include the Xbox 720, Xbox Infinity, Xbox Infinite, Xbox Gold, Xbox 8, Xbox Durango, Xbox Next, and more.

Domain investor Andy Booth – who knows a thing or two about domains with names like samurai.com – dropped me an email out of the blue saying he believes Microsoft will go with “Xbox Fusion” based on the number of names the company has registered and that the “infinity” symbol is also interpreted as “fusion”.

In case you haven’t been keeping a score card of Microsoft’s matching domains, here’s a look:

Xbox720.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft does not own the domain.

XboxInfinity.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft does not own the domain.

Xbox8.com (WHOIS) -Microsoft does not own the domain.

XboxDurango.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft does not own the domain.

XboxInfinite.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft does not own the domain.

XboxFusion.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft owns the domain.

XboxNext.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft owns the domain.

XboxGold.com (WHOIS) – Microsoft owns the domain.

So will Microsoft go with a name it doesn’t currently own? Or with a name already in its portfolio?

We should know in late May.

For those of you who don’t remember, Microsoft got off to a somewhat embarrassing start with the initial release of the Xbox console back in 2001 by not even owning the trademark to Xbox.  Although it eventually acquired the mark, Microsoft, like many big companies and their worst kept secrets, has often failed to secure the domain name ahead of time before the product was announced or launched. Halo 4 and Kinect.com are just two examples.

Currently, XboxFusion.com redirects visitors to Xbox.com, while XboxNext and XboxGold redirect users to Bing.

Talking about this story: SlashGear, IGN, Joystiq, Game Informer, NowGamer, MCV, Neowin, Softpedia, Games.com, VG247, Gameranx, GamingBolt, Den of Geek, BeefJack, Game Rant, WinBeta, Connected Digital World, Ping! Zine Web Tech Magazine, This is Xbox, iDigitalTimes, iTech Post, Gamers.fr, GameZone, 411mania.com, Game Guru, Gameblog, GameStar, Digital Spy, Digital Trends, Shacknews, TechRadar UK, Xbox 360 – The Official Magazine, Ubergizmo, PC Games, PC INpact, Vandal, Eurogamer.it, WinFuture, Gaming Everything, Geekets, International Business Times, Game7, Gamenguide, Gadget Insiders, GameDynamo, gamona.de, Jeux Video.fr, jeuxvideo24.com, GameFly, playm.de, Bitbag, Develop, WebProNews, TechnoBuffalo, Xboxygen, Warp Zoned, The Slanted and NeoGAF

(Image of next-generation Xbox logo via Reddit)

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Video Games

Microsoft disputes XboxFitness.com, files European Community trademark [UPDATED]

Xbox Fitness

Microsoft has filed a complaint (Case Number 1473274) with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) over the domain names XboxFitness.com and XboxFitness.net.

So, is this domain dispute nothing more than the company trying to protect its intellectual property?  Or, could Microsoft be looking to launch a new service beyond its Kinect Fitness line of products which haven’t received the best reviews over the years?

It appears plans are in the works to launch a new service as Microsoft filed a European Community trademark application earlier last month (trade mark no 011333705) for Xbox Fitness that covers, “Telecommunication services, namely, providing electronic transmission of video over the Internet.”

Throughout the past year, the company has filed a number of complaints with NAF, some of which became new services and others that have yet to materialize.

In May, Microsoft went after the domain XboxMusic.com and won.  Xbox Music was launched on October 16, 2012.  In another case, Microsoft filed a complaint (Case Number 1446970) over XboxSmartGlass.com, and also launched the service in late October.

The domain name dispute proceedings commenced this week.  Microsoft also filed a separate complaint (Case No. 1473913) over the names microsoftapproval.com, xboxsafety.com and xboxaccount.com.

Currently, XboxFitness.com (WHOIS) and XboxFitness.net (WHOIS) redirect visitors to xbf.co, and are owned by a resident of Canada.

Microsoft has a lot of success with its domain disputes, so the newest cases will likely go in their favor.

At the time of this story being published, Microsoft has made no official announcement regarding Xbox Fitness.

UPDATE:. Microsoft has won the dispute for XboxFitness.com and .net.  Both domains have been ordered transferred.

Talking about this story: NowGamer

(Image via Xbox.com)

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Video Games

Ahead of rumored E3 reveal, Microsoft goes after XboxMusic.com [UPDATED]

Xbox Music E3 reveal

UPDATE 1 July 5, 2012:. Microsoft has won the domain dispute for XboxMusic.com.  A National Arbitration Forum panel has ordered the domain name transferred from Wang Shiguo to Microsoft Corporation.

ORIGINAL STORY:. Last month, The Verge reported that Microsoft will offer a sneak peek at its Zune replacement (codenamed “Woodstock”) during E3 2012.

With E3 right around the corner, it appears Microsoft is somewhat planning ahead of its new Xbox Music service reveal, by filing a complaint (Case Number 1445087) with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain name XboxMusic.com.

The domain name dispute proceedings commenced this week along with a separate case over xbox8.org, xboxcompanion.com, xboxlivetv.com, xboxphone.com, and xboxtablet.com.

Microsoft Corporation also filed another complaint (Case Number: 1445084) against the owner of xbox8.us which currently hosts a Chinese-written blog that even discusses the xbox8.org domain dispute.

Xboxmusic.com (Whois) does not resolve to a web page at the time of this story.

Insiders told The Verge, “Woodstock will be a cross-platform play, available to Windows 8, Android, iOS, and Xbox users — playable from a browser”.

(Image of E3 2011 via Xbox.com)

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Video Games

Microsoft wants XboxPhone.com, XboxTablet.com, more; files dispute [UPDATED]

Halo 4

Who knows what the future holds for the Xbox, but a recent complaint (Case Number: 1445083) filed with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF), may hint at things to come down the road.

The domain dispute appeared on NAF’s website today and includes xbox8.org, xboxcompanion.com, xboxlivetv.com, xboxphone.com, and xboxtablet.com.

All of the names are owned by a resident of China who goes by the name “cheng juan”.

According to UDRP rules, if more than one domain being disputed is held by the same respondent, all of the names may be included in the same complaint. Rule 3(b)(vi).

At the time of this story, xbox8.org resolves to a Go Daddy parked page, xboxcompanion.com, xboxtablet.com and xboxlivetv.com are listed for sale, and xboxphone.com redirects visitors to a different site.

Microsoft released an Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone users in late 2011.

It’s also been rumored Xbox Live would be coming to other platforms.

Microsoft Corporation has won many of its disputes including two disputes that helped take down fake Halo 4 beta websites.

I wouldn’t expect the outcome in this case to be any different.

Talking about this story: VG247, Videogameszone, NeoGAF, Eurogamer España and GameZone

UPDATE:. Microsoft has won the dispute for xbox8.org, xboxcompanion.com, xboxlivetv.com, xboxphone.com, and xboxtablet.com.  All domains have been ordered transferred.

(Image of Halo 4 Concept art)

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News Video Games

Microsoft Corporation registers domain names for ‘Xbox Summer Stadium App’

Xbox Summer Stadium App

Microsoft has picked up two new domain names this week hinting at an upcoming ‘Summer Stadium’ app for the Xbox.

On April 30, 2012, Microsoft registered the hyphenated domains, xbox-summer-stadium-app.com (Whois) and xbox-summer-stadium-app.net (Whois), through the internet brand protection company MarkMonitor.

With baseball season in full swing, now is as good a time as any to release a stadium app for the Xbox. But it’s unknown at this time whether the app will be used for sports or music concerts taking place this summer.

MLB.com has a number of apps, including At the Ballpark which offers mobile check-in, social media, offers, rewards and exclusive content.  It also provides other information like current game details including team schedule, ticket information and sales and promotional event listings.

At the time of this story, Microsoft has not announced anything about the Summer Stadium app for the Xbox.

Currently, the domain xbox-summer-stadium-app.com does not resolve to a web page, while xbox-summer-stadium-app.net redirects visitors to Bing.

(Image of Xbox Live via Xbox.com)