Category: News

Take-Two wins dispute for GTAtv.com domain name, GTA.tv case still pending

Post author By J.B.
Post date October 19, 2013

Video game company Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. won a domain name dispute (Case No. D2013-1434) for grandtheftautovideos.com, gtaextreme.com, gtarevolution.com and gtatv.com.

The decision comes shortly after Rockstar ruled out the possibility for a GTA 5 movie, but hinted at a TV show for the Grand Theft Auto series.

While a GTA TV show is all just rumor and speculation at this point, Take-Two has been filing complaints at related domains. In August 2013, Take-Two filed a dispute (Case No. DTV2013-0004) against the owner of the domain GTA.tv (WHOIS), however, a decision has yet to be issued.

A panelist with the World Intellectual Property Organization ordered gtatv.com and the other names transferred after finding the names were confusingly similar to Take-Two’s GTA trademarks, that the current owner had no rights or legitimate interests in any of the names, and that the names were registered in bad faith. The names had been listed for sale for prices ranging from $350 for grandtheftautovideos.com to $15,000 for gtatv.com.

All four names: grandtheftautovideos.com (WHOIS), gtaextreme.com (WHOIS), gtarevolution.com (WHOIS) and gtatv.com (WHOIS), are still registered to Domain Asset Holdings, which is operated by domain name pioneer Mike Mann. Mann made headlines in 2012 after registering 14,962 domains in 24 hours.

Tags Grand Theft Auto, GTA, GTA V, mike mann, Rockstar Games, Take-Two

Disputes Featured News Video Games WIPO

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

Post author By J.B.
Post date September 22, 2013

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.

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

Tags Manhunt, Manhunt 2, Manhunt 3, Take-Two

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

Post author By J.B.
Post date September 12, 2013

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)

Tags Major Nelson, microsoft, Xbone, Xbone.com, Xbox One

Featured Movies News

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

Post author By J.B.
Post date September 1, 2013

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

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.

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)

Tags MarkMonitor, Michael Bay, Transformers 4, Transformers Apocalypse, Transformers Futurecast, Transformers Last Stand, Transformers movie

Google Cache reveals info on Ubisoft’s next-gen game Fighter Within [UPDATED]

Post author By J.B.
Post date August 18, 2013

Just a few days ago, newly discovered domain registrations hinted at a next-gen game by Ubisoft called Fighter Within. Not much was known about the game at the time, except for the domain names and the fact they redirected visitors to a “Coming Soon” page on Ubisoft’s official website.

Thanks to Google Cache, a snapshot of the official website was stored on August 16, revealing several details about the game, which promises to provide users the excitement of a real fight and will be offered on the Xbox One and take advantage of the Kinect technology. Ubisoft has since pulled the website, but not before Google Cache snagged a copy.

Ubisoft is expected to officially unveil the game at Gamescom in a matter of days, but here’s what we now know about Fighter Within based on text taken from the cached page.

Unleash your inner Fighter

Discover FIGHTER WITHIN, the next-gen game that provides you the excitement of a real fight, throwing you into the most immersive total-body combat experience ever made. Enter a world of sweat, timing and training thanks to kick-ass motion recognition. Brawling with your friends will never feel the same again.

Earn your bragging rights over your friends

True friends don’t pull their punches. Let off some steam and earn your bragging rights over your best mates in ultra-raw fighting sessions. New Kinect allows you to invite and defy your friends over a good fight right in your living room.

Unleash your inner fighter to beat your friends with your bare knuckles.

Discover FIGHTER WITHIN, the next-gen game that provides you the excitement of a real fight, throwing you into the most immersive total-body combat experience ever made.

Test your real fighting skills thanks to the next gen of motion recognition. The new Kinect technology arms FIGHTER WITHIN with realistic fighting moves using unprecedented 1 to 1 precision movement tracking.

Enter a brutal, physical and liberating world: New-gen jaw-dropping graphics, real-time wounds, sweat & facial impacts, extreme arenas environments, primal animations… The new XBOX ONE Kinect allows you to dive into a unique realistic experience and feel the fight. All you expect from a next gen fighting game is there.

Enter a world of sweat, timing and training. Brawling with your friends will never feel the same again.

Earn your bragging rights over your friends by proving your real fighting skills!

True friends don’t pull their punches: Let off some steam and earn your bragging rights over your best mates in ultra-raw fighting sessions. New Kinect’s power dramatically improves the multiplayer experience, allowing you to invite and defy your friends over a good fight right in your living room, or to compete online against the world to become the ultimate fighter.

Reveal your abilities: Kicks, punches, counters, throws, combos, special moves, everything you expect from a fighting game is there: Execute precise and amazing combos thanks to the new Kinect and use the huge diversity of gameplay to choose between core combat or special attacks to destroy your opponents.

Think first, hit after: Skills are not enough to win a match, superior fighting tactics will give you the upper hand. Use your surroundings to your advantage, collect totems and position them wisely in the arena to power up your attacks, choose the right moves and signature attacks that will undermine your rival and finish him off with a devastating final blow.

More content coming soon

***

Unfortunately, no screenshots are available just yet. Ubisoft removed the images.

You can see a screenshot of the full page here.

UPDATE 4 August 20, 2013: Fighter Within screenshots have been revealed.

UPDATE 3 August 20, 2013: The Fighter Within trailer has been released.

UPDATE 2 August 20, 2013: The leaked video is again available (H/T thesixthaxis)

۞ by AGBLeaks

UPDATE 1 August 20, 2013: The first gameplay footage of Fighter Within has been leaked by VentureBeat (via Gamepur). Unfortunately, the video is now unavailable. I took a screenshot of the video before it was marked private.

Talking about this story: ComputerAndVideogames.com, Metro, NowGamer, VG247, AusGamers, Examiner.com, Gematsu, GenGAME, IGN Deutschland, JeuxOnline, GameZone, God is a Geek, GamesRadar, Lazygamer, Polygon, PlayStation LifeStyle, PSU, ShackNews, The Escapist, The Sixth Axis and VideoGamer.com

Tags Fighter Within, Gamescom, Google Cache, Next-Gen, Ubisoft