Month: September 2013

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Disputes Featured News Video Games WIPO

Manhunt 3? Take-Two goes after domain name of fake snuff website it used to own [UPDATED]

Manhunt 3

Much of the buzz surrounding Take-Two has been over the recent release of Grand Theft Auto V.  What you may not know, though, is that Take-Two just filed a dispute over the domain name valiant-ent.tv (WHOIS), which used to be a fake snuff website used to promote the psychological horror video game Manhunt.  The domain name and website were owned and operated by Rockstar Games for years, until the company let the name expire in 2011 and its new owner launched a petition site aimed at having Manhunt 3 developed.

Why go after the name after more than 2 years since it changed owners? Is Manhunt 3 in the works?

There have been rumors of Take-Two introducing a Manhunt 3 before, but the rumors were quickly eliminated.

Take-Two filed the dispute (WIPO Case Number: DTV2013-0006) over valiant-ent.tv this week with the World Intellectual Property Organization.  The case follows a number of successful filings against owners of other Take-Two related domains like GTAV.com and GTA5BetaCode.com.

Today, the identity of valiant-ent.tv’s owner is private according to WHOIS records, but the petition site is online.

A message on the site reads, “I strongly believe that there is still a desire to make a new Manhunt game within at least one of Rockstar Game’s many studios, I think it’s just a matter of showing Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar’s parent company) that there is still a high demand.”  Despite the current owner’s efforts, only 4 signatures have been received, as you can see in the screenshot below.

Valiant Video Enterprises

The fake snuff website (SCREENSHOT) once owned and operated by Take-Two may or may not be coming back.  Even if Take-Two wins the dispute and takes control of the domain, it’s only speculation that the video game company might one day release a Manhunt 3.

On a sidenote, if Take-Two decides to release a Manhunt sequel, they do own Manhunt3.com and Manhunt4.com.

UPDATE 2: Take-Two’s complaint over the domain name Valiant-Ent.tv has been denied by a sole panelist. Details of the ruling can be found here.

UPDATE 1:. Be advised, the Valiant-Ent website has devolved into graphic content since this story first broke earlier today.  Do not visit the website unless you are prepared for adult content.

Talking about this story: Kotaku and Bloody Disgusting

Categories
Featured News Video Games

Microsoft may not like “Xbone” nickname, but they just acquired Xbone.com

Xbox One

Major Nelson may not like the idea of the Xbox One being nicknamed the “Xbone”, but that hasn’t stopped the company from acquiring the domain name Xbone.com.

According to the latest WHOIS records, Microsoft Corporation is the name’s new owner.

While it’s only speculation, it’s very possible the domain’s previous owner got an undisclosed amount of cash from Microsoft.  And considering all the recent buzz this week, it probably wasn’t a small amount.

Earlier this week, Larry Hryb (the Director of Programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live), posted a message on NeoGAF saying the nickname, “…disrespects the teams that have put in thousands of hours (already) into the development of the product. Sure, it’s cheeky but I don’t care for it myself.”

No domain dispute was ever filed by Microsoft against the owner of Xbone.com and even if it had been, there’s no guarantee the company would have won.

In July, Microsoft’s lawyers took ownership of the domain names XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net after filing a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF).

Talking about this story: CNET, Joystiq, The Escapist, Kotaku, MTV.com, IGN, The Daily Dot, VG247, NBCNews.com, Complex.com, ComputerAndVideogames.com, Examiner.com, Eurogamer.net, Gaming Bolt, GameRanx, GameSided, GameSpot, GameStar, GameZone, GamesWelt, Geeky Gadgets, Game Rant, Game Revolution, Geekosystem, Hard OCP, IntoMobile, Kotaku Australia, GamePlanet, Latinos Post, MCV, Neowin, OXM, playm.de, PC Games, El33t, Polygon, kaldata.com, SpieleRadar, SPONG, The Next Web, TheSixthAxis, The Verge, WinFuture, Videogameszone, 411mania.com, VideoGamer.com, VR-Zone and Ubergizmo

(Image via Xbox.com)

Categories
Featured Movies News

Transformers 4 film to be titled Apocalypse or Last Stand? Domains privately registered [UPDATED]

Nightwatch Optimus Prime [via Deviant Art: Art-Master-1983]

Transformers 4

The same brand protection agency that registered TransformersDarkoftheMoon.com back in 2010, has registered a few new domain names that could be possible titles for Michael Bay’s untitled Transformers sequel.

MarkMonitor, which is also the registrar for the Transformers 4 official website, registered names for Transformers: Last Stand, Transformers: Apocalypse, and Transformers: Future Cast.

On August 28, 2013, TransformersApocalyspe.com (WHOIS), TransformersLastStand.com (WHOIS), and TransformersFutureCast.com (WHOIS) were registered.

The official registrant of each domain is hidden behind MarkMonitor’s WHOIS privacy service called DNStinations, however, Paramount Pictures is likely behind the names.

Transformers Apocalypse WHOIS record

Movie title rumors for Transformers 4 have been shot down before.

Two months ago, Michael Bay publicly responded on his website to rumors that the movie would be called Transformers: Rise of Galvatron, saying, “There are rumors flying around from various media sites about the title of the next Transformers.  I wanted you to hear from me directly that we have not yet chosen a title and anything being reported is absolutely not true. When we have a title to announce, I promise you will hear it from me first.”

For now, names like Transformers: Last Stand and Transformers: Apocalypse are just speculation.

The title of the film, which is set to be released in June 2014, is still referred to as the Untitled Transformers Sequel, according to IMDB.

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

UPDATE 1: So it turns out, Transformers 4 will be called Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Talking about this story: ComingSoon.net, Seibertron.com, Comicbook.com, Superherohype.com, 411mania.com, ScreenCrush, Flickering Myth, Cosmic Book News, Moviehole, WorstPreviews.com, First Showing, AlloCiné, melty.fr, Sopitas.com, RopeofSilicon.com, moviepilot.com, TFW2005, IGN, /FILM, Screen Rant, FizX and Dark Horizons

(Image via TransformersMovie.com)