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News Trademarks Video Games

Electronic Arts files new trademark applications for ‘Blacked Out’ game

Blacked Out trademark application

Battlefield 3 publisher Electronic Arts has filed two new trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the phrase Blacked Out.

The phrase Blacked Out, which commonly refers to temporarily losing consciousness, has several meanings so it’s hard to know exactly what kind of game EA has in store.

Both trademark filings were submitted on November 14, 2011.

Serial Number 85471685 covers, “Computer game software; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices.”

Serial Number 85471683 covers, “Entertainment services, namely, providing an on-line computer game; Provision of information relating to electronic computer games provided via the Internet.”

Categories
News Video Games

Ubisoft registers MotionSports Adrenaline Urban Jungle domain names

Motion Sports Adrenaline: Urban Jungle

Ubisoft released ‘Motion Sports Adrenaline’ in late October on the Kinect for the Xbox 360.  The video game lets players participate in extreme events like wingsuit, rock climing and other dangerous activities.

Now it looks like Ubisoft might have downloadable content planned for MotionSports Adrenaline that could be available soon based on two recent domain registrations made by the company.

On November 17, Ubisoft registered the domains motionsportsadrenalineurbanjungle.com and motionsports-adrenaline-urban-jungle.com.

At the time of this story going online, neither of the domain names resolve to a web page. 

Based on the title alone, one would guess that it could involve activities like stunt biking or street rollerblading.

Categories
News Video Games

Ghost Recon 5, Rainbow Six 5, Splinter Cell 5? Ubisoft buys up domain names

Ghost Recon 5

Ubisoft has gone on a buying spree for new domain names this week. 

While the registrations may be nothing more than part of the company’s strategy to protect its brands, don’t be surprised to see some of these titles on store shelves in the future.

Ubisoft added over three dozen web addresses to its portfolio that include names like assassins-creed5.com, far-cry5.com, ghost-recon5.com, just-dance5.com, prince-of-persia5.com, rainbow-six5.com, splinter-cell5.com, and many more.

Here’s a look at the full list of 40 domains the company registered on November 9th.

assassins-creed2.com
assassins-creed3.com
assassins-creed4.com
assassins-creed5.com
far-cry4.com
far-cry5.com
ghost-recon2.com
ghost-recon3.com
ghost-recon4.com
ghost-recon5.com
just-dance2.com
just-dance3.com
just-dance4.com
just-dance5.com
lapins-cretins.com
lapins-cretins2.com
lapins-cretins3.com
lapins-cretins4.com
lapins-cretins5.com
lapinscretins2.com
lapinscretins3.com
lapinscretins4.com
lapinscretins5.com
prince-of-persia2.com
prince-of-persia3.com
prince-of-persia4.com
prince-of-persia5.com
rabbidsinvasion.com
rainbow-six2.com
rainbow-six4.com
rainbow-six5.com
rainbowsix2.com
splinter-cell2.com
splinter-cell3.com
splinter-cell4.com
splinter-cell5.com
thelapinscretins2.com
thelapinscretins3.com
thelapinscretins4.com
thelapinscretins5.com

Discussion: Game Informer, N4G and play3.de

(Image of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 3 – Advanced Warfighter; image modified by Fusible)

Categories
News Video Games

Microsoft to release the Xbox Kinect Accelerator; it registered the domains

Xbox Kinect

With the one year anniversary of the debut of the Kinect taking place earlier this month, a lot of news has been coming out on the motion sensing device for the Xbox 360.

One of the announcements is that the Kinect SDK for Windows, which enables developers to create new uses for the Kinect, will be available commercially in early 2012.

With all the activity and buzz, it also looks like other features for the Kinect will be available for developers called the “Xbox Kinect Accelerator”, according to two recent domain registrations by Microsoft.

On November 9th, the company registered XboxKinectAccelerator.com and XboxKinectAccelerator.net.

Nothing has been announced by Microsoft yet. 

It’s possible the Xbox Kinect Accelerator could be something similar to the Microsoft Research Accelerator which is used by programmers to help accelerate code execution. 

It could also be an accessory for the device or a Startup Camp to get developers up to speed on programming, but until Microsoft reveals more information, nothing will be known for sure.

[Update 2 November 18, 2011: Microsoft has officially launched the site.  “If you are a developer or existing team/startup focused on building a business that takes advantage of the Kinect and Natural User Interface technologies, then the Kinect Accelerator is where you need to be. Through this program, Microsoft is supporting entrepreneurs, engineers and innovators like you to bring to life a wide range of business ideas that leverage the limitless possibilities Kinect enables. Following a competitive screening process, ten finalists will be chosen for this unique three month incubation program running from March to May, 2012 in Seattle, WA. The Kinect Accelerator is “powered by TechStars” using the same mentor-driven methodology pioneered and proven in New York, Boulder, Seattle and Boston. Mentors for the Kinect Accelerator include a broad base of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in the industry as well as executives from Microsoft Studios, XBOX, Microsoft Research and other Microsoft organizations.”  More here.]

[Update 1 November 15, 2011 at 3:17am EST:  Microsoft has now registered the domains KinectAccelerator.com, KinectAccelerator.net and KinectAccelerator.org.]

Discussion: Ubergizmo

(Photo of Kinect sensor as shown at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo via flickr)

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

Disney’s Playdom developing ‘City of Warfare’ game? Trademarks filed

City of Might

According to four trademark filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it appears Disney’s Playdom is developing a new social game called ‘City of Warfare’ to expand upon its City-franchise.

If it’s anything like Playdom’s other games, which includes ‘City of Wonder’, chances are players will build armies in ‘City of Warfare’ and battle other cities. 

Oddly enough, Playdom has developed a game called ‘City of Might’ which has been in closed BETA since March.  Based on the game titles alone, it sounds like ‘City of Might’ and ‘City of Warfare’ are a lot alike.  Playdom even describes City of Might as, “a game where you build a mighty city and defeat your enemies in epic battles.” 

It’s quite possible City of Might is being rebranded as City of Warfare, as no trademark applications are on file for City of Might.

All four trademark applications for City of Warfare (Serial Numbers: 85457270, 85457272, 85457274, and 85457277) were filed on October 26, 2011, by Disney and involve an online virtual community, online social networking services, and entertainment and education services.

The ‘Goods and Services’ are nearly identical to its Gnome Town filings.  I wrote about the Gnome Town trademark applications in late July and days later Playdom officially launched the game to everyone on Facebook.

Here’s a more detailed look at each of the trademark filings:

Serial Number 85457277, Goods and Services
IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; audio books; audio recordings; audio and visual recordings; video game software; computer programs and software; consumer electronics and accessories therefor; hand-held units for playing electronic games for use with an external display screen or monitor; eyeglasses and sunglasses and accessories therefor; binoculars; decorative magnets; graduated rulers; computer software, namely, computer game software; electronic games and game software that may be downloaded via global computer networks and electronic communication networks for use in connection with computers, mobile computers, media players, cellular phones, wireless devices and portable and handheld digital electronic devices

Serial Number 85457274, Goods and Services
IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment and education services; providing online computer games, online enhancements for computer games, and providing online games; providing information relating to computer games and game enhancements via global computer networks and electronic communication networks for use in connection with computers, mobile computers, media players, cellular phones, wireless devices and portable and handheld digital electronic devices; providing an online entertainment information service featuring information regarding computer games, enhancements for computer games, online games, and game applications via global computer networks and electronic communication networks for use in connection with computers, mobile computers, media players, cellular phones, wireless devices and portable and handheld digital electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable computer games; providing temporary use of non-downloadable software for playing computer games; providing temporary use of non-downloadable software to enable playing and otherwise providing computer games

Serial Number 85457272, Goods and Services
IC 045. US 100 101. G & S: Online social networking services

Serial Number 85457270, Goods and Services
IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Computer services, namely, creating an online virtual community for registered users to participate in and hold competitions, showcase their skills, improve their talent, participate in incentive award programs, get feedback from their peers, form virtual communities, trade, buy and sell virtual goods, conduct virtual tours, facilitate interaction among users, rank users, engage in social networking, and participate in on-line discussion boards; providing temporary use of non-downloadable software to enable viewing, previewing, sharing, manipulating, and creating blogs regarding computer games via global computer networks and electronic communication networks for use in connection with computers, mobile computers, media players, cellular phones, wireless devices and portable and handheld digital electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable software to enable viewing, previewing, sharing, manipulating, enhancements for computer games, online games, and game applications and information relating to computer games and game enhancements via global computer networks and electronic communication networks for use in connection with computers, mobile computers, media players, cellular phones, wireless devices and portable and handheld digital electronic devices

Discussion: Games.com News (blog) and Inside Social Games