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Microsoft acquires Halo 7, Halo 8 & Halo 9 domains via brand protection company

Halo 4

  • Microsoft hints at future of Halo franchise with Halo 7-9 domain names

  • Halo5.com, Halo9.com domains acquired by Microsoft in Feb/March 2012

  • Halo4.com acquired in 2011 for undisclosed amount after E3 unveiling

  • Halo.com does not belong to Microsoft, belongs to product distributor

With all the Microsoft video game talk about Halo 4 that is scheduled to be released on November 6, 2012, Microsoft is looking to the future and working to protect its Halo brand online.

This week, the company acquired several more domain names centering around its cash cow Halo, hinting that the franchise will be around for years to come.

Through the internet brand protection company MarkMonitor, Microsoft has apparently acquired the domains halo7.net (Whois), halo7.org (Whois), halo8.org (Whois), halo9.net (Whois) and halo9.org (Whois).

It’s unknown whether Microsoft opened its checkbook to get the names and it’ll likely remain that way.  History has shown that the terms of agreement between Microsoft and private domain sellers is not disclosed publicly.

Each of the newly acquired names is registered to DNStination Inc, a Whois privacy service administered by MarkMonitor.  The change in ownership took place within the last 48 hours.

Halo9.net

Microsoft has had a busy twelve months acquiring Halo-related domain names.

In March of this year, it secretly acquired Halo5.com and Halo9.com from their previous owners using Corporation Service Company’s Name Rally.

In 2011, Microsoft acquired Halo4.com for an undisclosed amount from its previous owner.

So, what does Microsoft’s Halo dotcom scorecard look like?

Here’s a look.

Halo.com – active website owned by HALO Brand Solutions, not Microsoft.

Halo1.com – active website owned by HALO ONE, not Microsoft.

Halo2.com –
owned by Microsoft Corporation.

Halo3.com –
owned by Microsoft Corporation.

Halo4.com –
owned by Microsoft Corporation.

Halo5.com –
owned by Microsoft Corporation.  Privately registered.

Halo6.com –
parked by Colby Thiesen, not owned by Microsoft.

Halo7.com –
active website, not owned by Microsoft.

Halo8.com –
active website owned by Halo 8 Productions, not Microsoft.

Halo9.com – owned by Microsoft Corporation.  Privately registered.

Halo10.com –
owned by Microsoft Corporation.

Talking about this story: Computerandvideogames.com, Capsule Computers, EGMNOWelotrolado.net, Eurogamer.pt, FOK!, Game Informer, Game Rant, Game Revolution, Gameranx, GameZone, IGN, MCV, MeriStation, NowGamer, playm.de, Shack News, Strategy Informer, Tecmundo, VG247 and Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine