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Disputes Featured National Arbitration Forum News Technology

Now Microsoft’s lawyers are going after Xbox1.com domain name [UPDATED]

Xbox One

A little over a week ago, Microsoft filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) over the domain names XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net.  The company, it seems, held off on registering or acquiring any Xbox One related domains until after the announcement of its next-generation Xbox, so as not to reveal the name of the new system.

Now, with the news in from Microsoft, the company is having to go the legal route to get domain names related to the Xbox One.

A new dispute (Case Number: 1501169) has been brought against the owner of Xbox1.com (WHOIS).

It’s unknown whether Microsoft offered cash and was turned down, or, if the company demanded the names before filing complaints.

While nothing is guaranteed in a domain dispute, Microsoft has a good track record with Xbox names and has won dozens of disputes ranging from Xbox Gold to Xbox Fitness.  In fact, it appears the company has never lost a complaint.  Either the domain names have been ordered transferred by a panel or the complaints were withdrawn after the names were handed over before a decision.

Microsoft isn’t the only video game console maker that doesn’t own the matching domain to its system.

In February, Nintendo filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization over the domain name Wiiu.com.  No ruling has been issued yet.

Sony doesn’t own Playstation4.com, nor has the company filed any kind of dispute.  As I wrote back in 2011, Playstation4.com re-directs to PSX Extreme, a video game website that has been covering Sony Playstation news for years.  In 2001, Sony filed a dispute over sonyplaystation2.com, playstationx.com and sonyps2.com, and won.

Talking about this story: VG247, JeuxVideo.com, Neowin.net and melty.fr

UPDATE 2 July 23, 2013: Microsoft has taken ownership of Xbox1.com, according to the latest WHOIS records.  The case was withdrawn from NAF.

UPDATE 1 June 5, 2013: Microsoft filed another complaint (Case Number: 1503080) over the domains xboxone.co, xboxone.me, xboxoneforum.net, xboxonewiki.com, xboxonehelp.com, xboxonecheat.com and xboxoneblog.com.

(Image of Xbox One via Xbox.com)

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Featured News Video Games

Microsoft secretly registers Halo Spartan Assault domains [UPDATED]

Halo: Spartan Assault

There is a lot of buzz about Halo with E3 less than two weeks away.  Microsoft is expected to reveal Halo 5 but is not expected to share anything more about Steven Spielberg’s upcoming Halo TV series, of which little is known about.

It does appear however the company is up to something related to Halo ahead of E3 that is called Halo: Spartan Assault, according to several domain names Microsoft privately registered through the brand protection company MarkMonitor.

Among the latest names Microsoft registered in late May, are SpartanAssault.net (WHOIS), HaloSpartanAssault.com (WHOIS) and Halo-SpartanAssault.com (WHOIS).

Also registered were Halo-SpartanAssault.net (WHOIS) and HaloSpartanAssault.net (WHOIS).

Each of the newly acquired names is registered to DNStination Inc, a Whois privacy service administered by MarkMonitor.  Microsoft is a well-known client of MarkMonitor and over the years has acquired many Halo-related domains through the company like Halo 7, Halo 8 and Halo 9, to name a few.

Back in 2009, a short fan fiction piece was written online by a fan who titled the story Halo Spartan Assault.

Halo Spartan Assault Fan Fiction

Of course, there is always the chance that Microsoft is doing nothing more than protecting its IP, but it’s highly unlikely with E3 right around the corner.

Although it’s only speculation at this point, you can bet Microsoft has something in the works for Halo: Spartan Assault.

Is it the title of a live action series? A video game? Something else? Who knows?

It’s obviously too early to say what exactly Microsoft has planned for Halo: Spartan Assault, but we should know more soon.

UPDATE 1 June 4, 2013:  Halo Spartan Assault has been revealed.  Below is the debut trailer.

Talking about this story: VG247, Joystiq, Game Informer, TheSixthAxis, Neowin, Game Rant, Cinema Blend, GameFocus, Metronieuws.nl, gamesblog.it, Videogameszone, VicioJuegos, playm.de, PC Games, Gamenguide, ComputerAndVideogames.com, Eurogamer.net, Polygon, Videogamer.com, AusGamers, Spong, Xbox 360 Achievements, MeriStation, Eurogamer.se, Gamers.fr, gamona.de, GameSurf, 411mania.com, Attack of the Fanboy, GamingBolt, VR-Zone, gry-online.pl, StickSkills, Gameranx, ScreenCrush, EGMNOW, Gematsu, Softpedia, NeoGAF, VGChartz and Examiner.com

Categories
Disputes Featured National Arbitration Forum News Technology

Microsoft files dispute over XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net domain names

Xbox One

Microsoft has filed a complaint (Case Number 1501205) with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) over the domain names XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net.

The filing appeared online today, just two days after the company announced its next-generation console the Xbox One.

For months speculation, often based on domain registrations by the company, was rampant as to what Microsoft would call the next Xbox.

The company kept the name a secret, and kept away from registering “Xbox One” domains that would have tipped their hand.

XboxOne.com (WHOIS) and XboxOne.net (WHOIS) are registered to a resident of the United Kingdom.

Both domains are parked at Go Daddy today, but at one point, XboxOne.com was a website dedicated to Xbox-related news.  Here’s a screenshot of the XboxOne.com website from the early 2000s, courtesy of Screenshots.com.

Xbox One Website

As I’ve written before, Microsoft has had a lot of success with its domain disputes, so its latest case will almost certainly go in its favor.

XboxSmartglass.com was ordered transferred to Microsoft, as was XboxPhone.com and XboxFitness.com.   The list of victories in domain disputes for Microsoft goes on and on.  In 2012, Microsoft took ownership of several names such as XboxMusic.com, XboxSports.com, and XboxVideo.com just to name a few.

It appears only a single complaint was filed for both domains. 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).

Talking about this story: Neowin, Kotaku, Joystiq, CNET, TechFlash, Shacknews, GamePolitics, 3DNews, SlashGear, Computerandvideogames.com, Herald Sun, GameSpot, IGN, VG247, Gameplanet, PC Magazine, Eurogamer, Game Informer, Gizmodo En Espanol, Kotaku Australia, NEWS.com.au, iTech Post, Den of Geek, SpieleRadar, Softpedia, WinFuture, Tech2, GameZone, GameDynamo, ITProPortal, Gamenguide, GamerZona, KultureGeek, melty.fr, JVN.com, GMA News,  GameFocus and PC Games

(Image of Xbox One via Microsoft.com)

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Featured News Video Games

Lucasfilm registers slew of domains for Star Wars Alliance, Bothan Spies, Order 67, Star Wars Rebels, many more

Star Wars

It was announced this week, that Electronic Arts and The Walt Disney Company signed a multi-year video game agreement which allows them to create Star Wars games.

Now Lucasfilm, which was acquired by Disney last year, has registered a slew of new domain names that include titles like:  Star Wars Alliance, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Wolf Pack, Wolf Pack Adventures, Order 67, Bothan Spies, Gungan Frontier 2, Gungan Frontier 3, Gungan Frontier 4, and Wookie Hunters.

Here’s a the list:

http://whois.domaintools.com/gunganfrontier2.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/gunganfrontier3.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/gunganfrontier4.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/order67.net
http://whois.domaintools.com/starwarsalliance.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/starwarsrebels.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/starwarswolfpack.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/wolfpackadventures.net
http://whois.domaintools.com/wookieehunters.com

While it’s unknown what will become of Star Wars: 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault, it looks like more plans are already in the works for other titles.

Movies? Games?  It’s anyone’s guess, what many of these titles like Bothan Spies are destined for.  But given the timing, you can bet many of the titles have something to do with Electronic Arts.

Talking about this story:  Joystiq, Forbes, Kotaku, 411mania.com, GamingBolt, GameSpot, We Got This Covered, /Film, Game Rant, Jeux Video, Comic Book Movie, Buffed.de, ComputerAndVideogames.com, Game Informer, Gamenguide, IGN, SlashGear, TheSixthAxis, Vandal, VG247 and TheForce.net

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Featured News Video Games

Electronic Arts registers domains for Battlefield 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20

Battlefield 19

Call it defensive or call it long-term planning, but Electronic Arts has gone out and registered dot-com domains for Battlefield 13 all the way through Battlefield 20.

On May 2, EA registered each of the names through the brand protection agency Corporation Service Company (CSC), adding to its ever-growing collection of Battlefield-related web addresses which includes its crown-jewel Battlefield.com, a name that EA spent $80,000 USD to acquire.

As of today, EA now owns Battlefield.com, Battlefield2.com – Battlefield9.com, and Battlefield13.com – Battlefield20.com.  Battlefield10.com – Battlefield12.com are owned by other parties, not associated with Electronic Arts.

By comparison to its biggest competitor, Activision, ModernWarfare8.com through ModernWarfare20.com and beyond, are not registered at the time of this story being published.

EA is expected to release Battlefield 4 this fall.

In late April, EA acquired BF4.com from its owner for $9,000 USD.

Talking about this story: Digital Spy, GameSpot, Joystiq, Blue’s News, Strategy Informer, EGMNOW, games.on.net, GameStar, Action Trip, Game Revolution, GameZone, Geek, Eurogamer.pt, Eurogamer.net, Tech2, IGN, Jeux Video, BeefJack, PC Gamer, PC Games Hardware, playm.de, Xbox 360 – the official Magazine, Softpedia, Ubergizmo, VG247 and Rock, Paper, Shotgun

(Image of Battlefield 4 via Battlefield.com)