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News Trademarks Video Games

Crowdstar developing another zombie iOS game called Zombie Chopper Strike

Zombie Chopper Strike

With the zombie craze showing no signs of dying down, you can never have enough zombie games.

It looks like social game developer Crowdstar is working on yet another mobile game for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad called Zombie Chopper Strike.

In an application submitted with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on December 5, 2011, Crowdstar Inc. filed to trademark the phrase “Zombie Chopper Strike”.

The goods and services covered in the trademark filing (Serial Number: 85487117) include:

Downloadable computer game software for use on wireless devices and computers; computer-game software, video game software, and computer game application software; interactive-video-game programs; electronic game software and electronic game application software that may be accessed via the Internet, computers and wireless devices; computer software to enable uploading, posting, showing, displaying, tagging, blogging, sharing or otherwise providing electronic media or information regarding the fields of virtual communities, electronic gaming, entertainment and general interest via the Internet or other communications networks with third parties.

In October, Crowdstar quietly released Zombie Universe (screenshot above), an iOS game that allows players to grow a population of zombie attackers, build decaying digs for them to stay in, and lead them on invasions of human towns.

At the time of this story going online, Crowdstar has made no official announcement about Zombie Chopper Strike.

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

Zynga goes on record about new iOS game by filing Forestville trademark

Forestville on Facebook

I first broke the news last week about Zynga developing a new “Ville” game after several Forestville domains were privately registered through MarkMonitor, an internet brand protection company Zynga regularly uses.

While I had nothing more to work on than new domain registrations, an anonymous reader sent me a tip that a Facebook page was online, further solidifying my belief that a game was in the works and near launch day.

Shortly after my story ran, accompanied by screen shots and a web address, the page was taken offline. 

Zynga, even with all the proof, made no announcement despite Games.com, AllFacebook, and other sites covering my story, so there was still some lingering doubt about the game.

Though Zynga does not officially comment on speculation or rumor, this week it has officially gone on record indirectly, by filing a trademark application (Serial Number: 85487695) for “Forestville” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Here’s a look at the trademark filing.

Forestville trademark

Expect to see a press release from the social gaming giant on “Forestville” soon.

Categories
News

Is Google planning to be more than just a client of RightsFlow? [UPDATED]

Google Rights Flow

Updated at 2:38pm EST:  Just as I speculated early this morning, RightsFlow has been acquired by Google.  The news was announced only news minutes ago.

***

Original post 4:11am EST: Google has made some interesting domain name registrations this week, revolving around the phrase “Rights Flow”. 

The search engine giant which officially launched its music streaming service Google Music last month, registered eight different names like GoogleRightsFlow.com, GoogleRights.com and GoogleFlow.net (GoogleFlow.com is owned by someone other than Google). 

It’s fun to speculate about Google domain registrations, although often they turn out to be nothing more than part of the company’s overall intellectual property strategy to protects its brands, not a product or service that is ever launched.

If you’re not familiar with the company, RightsFlow, which counts Google among its clients, provides intellectual property and copyright management services. 

According to the company’s website, RightsFlow is a leading technology-enabled provider of a mechanical licensing and royalty payment technology platform for online music services, record companies, distributors and artists.

Could Google end up being more than just a client of RightsFlow, to help it with its music service?  RightsFlow also has a product called Limelight, that allows anyone to clear cover songs quickly and easily, for one low price.

Guess we’ll have to wait to see what the domains end up as, or, to see if Google makes an announcement in coming days. 

Today, none of the domains resolve to a web page.

Here’s a look at the domains acquired on December 8, 2011, through the internet brand protection company MarkMonitor.

Googleflow.net
Googleflow.org
Googlerights.com
Googlerights.net
Googlerights.org
Googlerightsflow.com
Googlerightsflow.net
Googlerightsflow.org

Categories
News

Microsoft quietly launches Answer Desk for premium online technical support

Microsoft Answer Desk

Microsoft launched AnswerDesk.com today – a premium service available on demand 24/7 that helps connect ‘Answer Techs’ with customers who need help diagnosing and troubleshooting their Microsoft software related issues. 

Although no official announcement has been made, the website went online earlier today.

The site is so new, there are no pages indexed in Google’s search engine yet, and only one page in Bing which points to ‘Answer Tech’ Randy Calcines. 

According to the Answer Techs page, you’re able to choose any one of Microsoft’s Answer Techs for a complimentary consult chat.  You are able to view their profiles and read about their service history and experience, before connecting.

Although little is indexed at the time of this story going online, as the hours pass, additional pages should be indexed by the search engines.

I wrote about Answer Desk, Microsoft’s response to Apple’s Genius Bar available in retail stores, back in mid-September after Microsoft took ownership of the domain AnswerDesk.com.  The week Microsoft acquired <answerdesk.com>, it also acquired answerdesk.ch, answerdesk.fr, answerdesk.jp, answerdesk.tw, and answersdesk.com (plural). 

None of the country domain names currently resolve to a web page and according to a commenter from outside the United States, the site is only accessible by people from the US.  Visitors are greeted with a message that reads: “Sorry, this site restricted to US visitors only”. 

A password-protected site has been online for most of the past week, until earlier today when the official site was revealed.

According to the About Us page: 

Answer Desk is a premium service provided by Microsoft to give you the most convenient, friendly and easy way to get the most out of your PC.  Answer Desk Answer Techs are trained to diagnose and troubleshoot your Microsoft software related issues. Answer Techs are also knowledgeable to train you in Microsoft’s latest software, such as Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010. Our Answer Techs will take care of your technology needs as quickly and easily as possible, so you can get back to your life.

Who are the Answer Desk Answer Techs?

Answer Desk Answer Techs are highly trained, and qualified in their domain of knowledge, including popular software such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  In addition, they are professional, friendly, and dedicated to solving your PC issues without resorting to technology jargon.

With the site now online, I’m sure we can expect to see a press release soon by Microsoft.

Discussion: The Next Web, WinRumors, Engadget, Computerworld, Softpedia, Electronista, GeekWire and Neowin

Categories
Disputes Movies National Arbitration Forum News Trademarks Video Games

Following Sony Pictures, Ubisoft gets its own domain for Assassin’s Creed movie

Assassin's Creed the movie

Back in October, shortly after Variety broke the news that Sony Pictures was in the final negotiations with Ubisoft for an Assassin’s Creed film, I wrote about Sony Pictures registering more than a dozen related domains like assassinscreedfilm.com and assassinscreedthefilm.com.

There still is no official website for the film, which could be released as early as 2014, but now Ubisoft has secured ownership of the web address: assassinscreedthemovie.com.

The domain name exchanged hands earlier this week, after Ubisoft contacted the previous owner by e-mail and informed them that they had rights to the name.

Wanting to avoid legal troubles, the owner (whom I spoke with by e-mail) quickly transferred the domain to Ubisoft, saving Ubisoft the hassle of filing a domain dispute.

To date Ubisoft has filed only one complaint over a domain. 

In 2010, it won a case (Claim Number: FA0912001298869) for princeofpersia.com, after filing a dispute with the National Arbitration Forum.

Also this past week, Ubisoft Entertainment filed three separate trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Serial Number: 85482572, Serial Number: 85482583 and Serial Number: 85482580.

Here’s a quick look at the goods and services covered in the trademark filings.

“Entertainment services, namely, continuing television programs and interactive television programs featuring comedy, drama, live-action, and animation, broadcast over television, satellite, audio, and video media; presentation of live stage show performances, presentation of live show performances by costumed characters, and presentation of live theatrical performances; production and distribution of motion pictures”

“Audio and video recordings featuring live-action entertainment; audio and visual recordings featuring live-action entertainment; Pre-recorded DVDs, digital versatile discs and digital video discs featuring live-action entertainment”

“printed matter, namely books featuring works of fiction; printed matter, namely comics featuring works of fiction”

As of the time of this story going online, assassinscreedthemovie.com doesn’t resolve to a website.

(Photo of the short YouTube movie Assassin’s Creed: Lineage via Ubisoft)