Zenimax Archives – Page 2 of 2

ZeniMax Media files several trademarks for Dragon Shout “Fus Ro Dah”

Last year the dragon shout “Fus Ro Dah” became wildly popular after a video was released showing a character shouting “Fus Ro Dah!” causing a shockwave that knocked a person off a table.

Now, ZeniMax Media has submitted six different trademark applications for “Fus Ro Dah” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that cover a wide range of goods and services from computer game software to entertainment services.

Here’s a brief look at each of the trademark applications that were submitted on April 4, 2012.

Serial Number: 85589286
Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices; cell phone cases; downloadable cell phone ringtones; digital tablet cases; smart phone cases; mouse pads; eyeglass cases; head phones

Serial Number: 85589288
Computer and video game user instruction manuals; magazines, books, and pamphlets concerning video games; computer and video game strategy guide books and magazines; trading cards, maps, posters, advertisement boards of paper or cardboard, art prints

Serial Number: 85589291
Bags, namely, backpacks, duffel bags, knapsacks, book bags, athletic bags, and cosmetic bags, sold empty

Serial Number: 85589294
Clothing, namely, T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, fleece pullovers; headwear, namely, hats

Serial Number: 85589296
Toys and action figures; playing cards, dice, and board games; bobble-head dolls; sporting equipment

Serial Number: 85589298
Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line interactive computer games and providing information relating to electronic computer games via the internet

With the popularity of “Fus Ro Dah”, ZeniMax obviously has an interest in protecting its intellectual property, but this many trademarks hints at much more though.

At the time of this story, ZeniMax Media has made no official announcement regarding “Fus Ro Dah”.

If you haven’t seen the video, you can watch it below.

Discussion: Cinema Blend, Computerandvideogames.com, Destructoid, Edge, El Mundo.es, Escapist Magazine, Eurogamer.net, Game Rant, Game Informer, Gameranx, GameSpot, G4 TV (blog), GameZone, Jeux Video.fr, Joystiq, Komputer Świat (komunikaty prasowe), Kotaku, Kotaku Australia, MCV, Multiplayer.it, OnlineWelten.com, PC Gamer Magazine, PC Games, Techdirt, TheGamersHub, tweakers.net, Videogameszone, Side Mission (blog) and VG247

Updated: Hours after I published this post, Zenimax media unveiled the Dishonored.com website.

Not much is known about a suspected project called ‘Dishonored’ underway at Zenimax, the publisher of games such as Doom and Rage.

However, the company did get one step closer to revealing ‘Dishonored’, which the company filed a trademark application for in June 2011 which was spotted by SystemLink.

So, what has been revealed?

Well, for one thing, it appears Zenimax has owned the matching domain dishonored.com for nearly a year.

Yesterday, the domain name dishonored.com which is currently hidden behind Whois privacy at Corporation Service Company (a brand protection company), transferred DNS servers from CSC’s own servers to Zenimax’s DNS servers at ns1.zenimax.com and ns2.zenimax.com, where the company’s other online properties reside such as rage.com, a domain name it purchased in May 2010 at the online marketplace Sedo for $49,999 USD.

The transfer could be a sign that a website is about to be unveiled.

Here’s a look at the updated Whois record.

The domain name dishonored.com was acquired by CSC from well-known domain investor Mike Berkens almost a year before Zenimax filed for the trademark. Mike Berkens, who writes a blog at TheDomains.com, has sold a number of web addresses that have gone on to make news such as BigGovernment.com, now a website which recently made headlines after releasing the Anthony Weiner photos.

According to Whois history, dishonored.com was acquired by CSC in July 2010.

CSC is well known for providing domain services and identity protection on behalf of some of the largest companies in the world, including Microsoft and Google.

(Photo of Rage via Zenimax Media)