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Featured Movies News

Disney’s LucasFilm registers ‘Star Wars Attack Squadrons’ domain names [UPDATED]

Star Wars Attack Squadrons

Disney has gone out and registered domain names for a yet to be announced project called Star Wars Attack Squadrons.

The registrations include names like StarWarsAttackSquadrons.com, SWAttackSquadrons.com, AttackSquadrons.com, and AttackSquadron.us, to name just a few.

Most of the names were registered under LucasFilm through the brand protection agency Corporation Service Company (CSC).

Though it’s unknown whether “Star Wars Attack Squadrons” will be a movie, a theme park ride, or some other product, it’s possible a video game is in the works with the same title.

Earlier this year, Electronic Arts and Disney signed a multi-year agreement for EA to develop Star Wars games.  And it may be nothing more than a coincidence, but EA is the registrant of AttackSquadron.com (WHOIS) and AttackSquadron.net (WHOIS), which do not resolve to a web page.  EA has owned the names for years according to WHOIS historical records.

For now, it will have to remain speculation, though considering the number of domains that were registered, Disney seems very interested in protecting this intellectual property.

Here are just some of the domain registrations made under LucasFilm:

attacksquadron.org (WHOIS)
attacksquadron.us (WHOIS)
attacksquadrons.org (WHOIS)
attacksquadrons.net (WHOIS)
attacksquadrons.us (WHOIS)
attacksquads.org (WHOIS)
attacksquads.net (WHOIS)
attacksquads.us (WHOIS)
starwarsattacksquadrons.org (WHOIS)
starwarsattacksquadrons.net (WHOIS)
starwarsattacksquadrons.us (WHOIS)
starwarssquad.org (WHOIS)
starwarssquad.net (WHOIS)
starwarssquad.us (WHOIS)
starwarssquadrons.org (WHOIS)
starwarssquadrons.net (WHOIS)
starwarssquadrons.us (WHOIS)
starwarssquads.org (WHOIS)
starwarssquads.us (WHOIS)
swattacksquadron.org (WHOIS)
swattacksquadron.us (WHOIS)
swattacksquadrons.org (WHOIS)
swattacksquadrons.net (WHOIS)
swattacksquadrons.us (WHOIS)

The above list is not an exhaustive list.  The same names also appear to have been registered in the .biz and .co.uk extensions.

The names were all registered on July 26, 2013, but none resolve to a web page at the time of this story.

In the past 24 hours, they were moved over from CSC’s domain servers to Disney’s.

Disney has yet to announce anything official.

UPDATE 1 August 16, 2013: So far, nothing has surfaced at this point to explain Disney’s plans behind “Star Wars Attack Squadrons”, but there has been a new development. The domain names, AttackSquadron.com and AttackSquadron.net, which EA has owned for years, changed registrants to CSC Corporate Domains, Inc. in the past 24 hours and were moved to Disney’s DNS servers on dig.com.  You can look at the WHOIS records here and here to learn more.

Talking about this story: Game Informer, Joystiq, IGN, The Escapist, Computerandvideogames.com, 411mania.com, Digital Spy, ZoKnowsGaming, games.on.net, ScreenCrush, Game Rant, Metro, PCGamesN, PC Gamer, Gameranx, tweakers.net, GameZone, gamona.de, GameSpot, JeuxVideo.com, Comicsblog.fr, NeoGAF, VG247, ComingSoon.net, NZGamer.com, Comic Book Movie, Superherohype.com, SPONG, iDigitalTimes, Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine, Eurogamer.net, Game Revolution, Playstation Lifestyle, GameStar, Multiplayer.it, PlayFrance, Play3-Live, play3.de, Softpedia, Screw Attack, playm.de, FOK!, Gamereactor Sverige, PC Games, All Games Beta, Hardcore Gamer, EGMNOW and Vandal

Categories
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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Movies News

Lucasfilm gets DarthVader.com domain, decades after first Star Wars movie

Darth Vader

Darth Vader was introduced in 1977 when the first of the Star Wars films was released.  Now, more than 35 years later, Lucasfilm has secured the rights to the DarthVader.com domain name.

As of this week, according to Whois records, the domain name is registered to “Lucasfilm Ltd”.

DarthVader.com Whois

For more than 10 years, the name was owned by the same individual named Ron Koskinen, before going into Whois privacy in early July 2012.

Of course, while it would have been impossible for Lucasfilm to register the name in the 70s, and very few companies registered names in the 80s, the studio could have picked up the name somehow in the 90s or 2000s.

Lucasfilm has owned and operated StarWars.com since the nineties, according to Whios History and the website Archive.org.

No surprise, Lucasfilm has had trademarks to the “Darth Vader” name dating back to the late seventies, but the studio has brought very few public complaints against owners of Star Wars domain names, disputing only a handful of cases since the early 2000s at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Many of the disputes you don’t hear about are likely handled by Lucasfilm lawyers sending cease and desist letters or demanding the names be turned over.

One of the more notable Lucasfilm complaints was over Tatooine.com back in 2000.

Lucasfilm lawyers sent a letter to the owner Steve Mount asking that the name be relinquished.

Lucasfilm letter

Steve Mount had registered the domain Tatooine.com in 1997, and told a CNET reporter he used the website to post photographs and advertisements for his programming and web design services.  The dispute made headlines, but the name was ultimately turned over to Lucasfilm.

It’s unknown whether Lucasfilm acquired the name DarthVader.com from Koskinen or another private party.

It’s also unknown if the studio opened up its checkbook and bought the name for a large amount of cash or if it had its lawyers send a letter demanding the name.

The movie studio hasn’t been so lucky with the web addresses of other popular characters belonging to Star Wars films.

HanSolo.com (Whois) is registered to HANSOLO Building Services.

ObiWanKenobi.com (Whois) is a parked web page monetized with ads.

Lucasfilm doesn’t even own LukeSkywalker.com (Whois) or Chewbacca.com (Whois).

I’ve reached out to Koskinen by email to see if any more details about the exchange can be provided and will update this post if I hear back.

At the time of this story, DarthVader.com does not resolve to a web page.

UPDATE 1 – OCT. 8, 2012: It turns out, Tucows donated the DarthVader.com domain name to Lucasfilm after it had expired.  “In exchange, Lucasfilm agreed to make a donation to the Tucows Elves Project. This annual charitable effort is organized by Tucows staff and provides toys to the children of lower-income families in the Parkdale neighborhood adjacent to the Tucows Toronto office.”  Via Canada News Wire.

Talking about this story: Domain Name Wire and Bill Hartzer

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

Star Wars: First Assault trademarks filed for “interactive video games” [UPDATED]

Star Wars: First Assault

Last week, Lucasfilm (the parent company of LucasArts) secretly registered several “Star Wars: First Assault” domain names like StarWarsFirstAssault.com.  It was suspected that the names had something to do with a yet-to-be announced video game project.

More information has surfaced in recent days in the way of two new trademark applications submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  On August 23, 2012, Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. filed trademarks for “First Assault” (Serial Number: 85711610) and “Star Wars: First Assault” (Serial Number: 85711618).

Both applications cover the same goods and services which, among other things, includes “Entertainment services provided on-line by means of global and local area networks, namely, providing interactive computer games and interactive video games.”

Here’s a look at the full list of goods and services in each filing:

Interactive entertainment software and accompanying instruction manuals sold as a unit, namely, computer game software and manuals sold as a unit, video game software and manuals sold as a unit; video game software, computer game software, and pre-recorded compact discs and DVDs featuring games, films, animation, music, computer game software, and video game software; downloadable video game software and downloadable computer game software; computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones

Books containing puzzles and games; calendars; children’s books; children’s books combined with toys and sold as a unit; comic books; comic magazines; gift books in the field of video games; graphic novels; printed instructional manuals and strategy guides in the field of computer games; magazines in the field of entertainment; markers; non-electronic personal planners and organizers; notebooks; novels for juveniles; pencil cases; pencil sharpeners; pencils; pens; personal organizers; postcards; posters; puzzle books; series of fiction books; sticker albums; sticker books; stickers; temporary tattoos; trading cards; animation cels; lithographic prints; original works of art created from paper; photographic prints; printed art reproductions

Toy action figures; accessories for use with toy action figures; action type target games; balloons; bath toys; board games; card games; cases for action figures; cases for play accessories for action figure, model vehicles and model space craft; connecting links for toy building blocks; construction toys; costume masks; costume masks for dolls; dolls; rubber hi bounce balls; jigsaw puzzles; paper face masks; parlor games; play sets for toy model vehicles, toy model space craft; plush toys; protective pads and padding for skateboarding; role-playing games; toy model space crafts and related accessories sold as units; three-dimensional puzzles; toy action figures; toy building blocks; toy candy dispensers; toy candy holders, namely, plastic candy dispenser designed as a toy; toy coin banks; toy model hobby craft kits for making model spacecraft, model cars and model vehicles; toy model vehicles and related accessories sold as a units; toy modeling dough kits and accessories for use therewith sold as units; toy remote control vehicles, namely, airplanes, spacecraft, boats; toy scooters; toy snow globes; toy vehicles; toy weapons; toy model vehicles and accessories therefore sold as a unit; water squirting toys; wind-up toys; yo-yos; collectible card games; collectible miniature board games, and toy helmets

Entertainment services provided on-line by means of global and local area networks, namely, providing interactive computer games and interactive video games, all on-line by means of global and local area networks; providing news and information in the field of entertainment relating to interactive computer game software and interactive video game software over an electronic network; fan club services

Online social networking services

While little is still known about “Star Wars: First Assault”, the trademark filings offer more insight.

LucasArts has yet to announce anything official.

UPDATE 4 – MARCH 12, 2013:. Kotaku has posted leaked screenshots of the game.  See below:

Star Wars: First Assault video game

Star Wars First Assault screenshot

Star Wars First Assault screenshot

UPDATE 3 – MARCH 11, 2013:. Kotaku reports that Star Wars: First Assault is a downloadable multiplayer shooter that was originally slated for release this spring.  Jason Schreier writes, “First Assault is “step zero” to the heavily-rumored, highly-anticipated Star Wars: Battlefront III. If First Assault sells well—assuming it is released at all—the third Battlefront could be next.”

UPDATE 2 – FEBRUARY 28, 2013:.  Sources familiar with game development at LucasArts have all told Kotaku that development on the game has been frozen or put on hold since the Disney acquisition.

UPDATE 1 – OCTOBER 1, 2012:.  The box art for Star Wars: First Assault for Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) was discovered (via NeoGAF).

Talking about this story:  Game Informer, GameSpot, G4tv, Game Trailers, Joystiq, Computerandvideogames.com, Digital Spy, Escapist Magazine, Everybody Plays, Eurogamer.net, Eurogamer.pt, IGN, Jeux Video.fr, Game Rant, Gamekult.com, Gamed, Gamers.fr, Gameplanet, Blue’s News, Gamespy.com, GameStar, Geek, GMA News, gram.pl, Anakinweb.com, gry-online.pl, Lenta.ru, MCV, MeriStation, Metro, NeoGAF, Kotaku, NowGamer, PC GamesBoa Informação, PlayStation LifeStyle (blog), Shacknews, Shogun Gamer, T3, TheForce.net, tweakers.net, Vandal, Videogamer.com, VG247 and We Got This Covered

(Image of the TIE fighter via StarWars.com)

Categories
Movies News Video Games

Lucasfilm secretly registers ‘Star Wars First Assault’ domain names

Star Wars First Assault

Lucasfilm, the parent company of LucasArts, appears to have another big project in the works, this one called “Star Wars First Assault” according to several domains the company secretly purchased this week.

On August 22, 2012, names like StarWarsFirstAssault.com (Whois) and StarWarsFA.com (Whois) were registered through the internet brand protection agency Corporation Service Company (CSC).  And you can bet Lucasfilm is the registrant behind the names, as they are a well known client of CSC, which protects many of the world’s most valuable brands.  CSC is the same registrar responsible for managing flagship names like StarWars.com (Whois).

The fact the names were all privately registered, indicates the company is trying to keep the project under wraps for now.

Here’s the full list:

starwarsfa.com
starwarsfa.net
starwarsfa.de
starwarsfa.co.uk
starwarsfirstassault.com
starwarsfirstassault.net
starwarsfirstassault.de
starwarsfirstassault.co.uk
swfirstassault.com
swfirstassault.net
swfirstassault.de
swfirstassault.co.uk

No trademark application has been filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office nor has the company announced anything about this project, so it’s unknown if it’s related to a video game, film, or some other Star Wars product.

The domains aren’t much help either.

At the time of this story, most of the names resolve to a blank web page.

Talking about this story: GameZone