Tag: microsoft

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Featured News Video Games

Microsoft may not like “Xbone” nickname, but they just acquired Xbone.com

Xbox One

Major Nelson may not like the idea of the Xbox One being nicknamed the “Xbone”, but that hasn’t stopped the company from acquiring the domain name Xbone.com.

According to the latest WHOIS records, Microsoft Corporation is the name’s new owner.

While it’s only speculation, it’s very possible the domain’s previous owner got an undisclosed amount of cash from Microsoft.  And considering all the recent buzz this week, it probably wasn’t a small amount.

Earlier this week, Larry Hryb (the Director of Programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live), posted a message on NeoGAF saying the nickname, “…disrespects the teams that have put in thousands of hours (already) into the development of the product. Sure, it’s cheeky but I don’t care for it myself.”

No domain dispute was ever filed by Microsoft against the owner of Xbone.com and even if it had been, there’s no guarantee the company would have won.

In July, Microsoft’s lawyers took ownership of the domain names XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net after filing a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF).

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(Image via Xbox.com)

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Disputes Featured National Arbitration Forum Technology

Microsoft takes ownership of XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net domain names [UPDATED]

XboxOne.com domain name

Microsoft’s lawyers have officially taken ownership of the domain names XboxOne.com and XboxOne.net after filing a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) back in late May.

Both domains just changed registrants to Microsoft, c/o The Richard Law Group, a law firm that often represents Microsoft in domain disputes.  Last year, the firm helped secure XboxPhone.com and XboxTablet.com.  Those names are among a long list of names recovered at NAF by Microsoft.

The victory makes Microsoft the first company to secure the matching dotcom domain of its next-generation video game console.

Sony doesn’t own PlayStation4.com nor has it filed any type of public complaint.  Playstation4.com re-directs visitors to PSX Extreme, a video game website that covers PlayStation news.  Playstation4.com is currently owned by Poise Media Inc., according to WHOIS records.

Nintendo recently suffered a somewhat embarrassing domain defeat, after its complaint over WiiU.com was denied.

The official ruling by NAF has yet to be published on its website, but should appear any day now.

Here’s a look at the WHOIS record for XboxOne.com, showing the updated record:

WHOIS: XboxOne.com

UPDATE 3 July 24, 2013: In a separate but related case, Microsoft took ownership of Xbox1.com (WHOIS). The company filed a dispute over the domain in early June, and like XboxOne.com, the dispute was withdrawn from NAF before a ruling was issued.

UPDATE 2 July 19, 2013: Both domains have switched over to Microsoft’s domain servers, but instead of directing users to the official Xbox website, they redirect users to its Bing search engine.

UPDATE 1 July 17, 2013:  The case with NAF was withdrawn according to an update posted on its website today.  While it’s unknown exactly why the case was withdrawn, chances are the previous owner decided to hand over the names to Microsoft’s lawyers instead of waiting for a ruling by a panel.

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(Image of E3 via Xbox Wire)

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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)

Categories
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.

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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)