Microsoft Files Dispute Against Current Owner of XboxOne.com

MojoKid writes "Microsoft might have one of the most talked-about products at the moment with the Xbox One, but would you believe it doesn't own the rights to the most obvious domain name to accompany it? Domain squatting is a real issue for companies about to launch a new product. If they register a domain before the official launch, people can find that and subsequently ruin the company's surprise. This particular case is different, however. The domain name wasn't registered just the other day. Instead, a UK resident registered the name XboxOne.com in December of 2011, long before Microsoft itself even likely had a definitive name for its upcoming console. So, what can a company do in this instance? File a dispute with the National Arbitration Forum, an ICANN-approved organization that specializes in dealing with these sorts of matters."

Comments

Xbox One? Oh my!

[Anonymous Coward]

They's better change that ridiculous name instead.

What's there to dispute?

[wbane]

Fork over some money, Micro$oft, if you want it that bad...

Re:What's there to dispute?

[MishgoDog]

They could have offered to buy the domain from the current owner for $1000, and saved 20% off the cost of the complaint fee, and avoided the costs that will be incurred for the legal representation altogether.

Except:

a) Creates a precedent - much better to encourage people to think there's no money in domain squatting against MS
b) $400 is - literally - nothing to a company like this. They would consider the costs to be equivalent, and immaterial, and go for the one which has a better strategic flavour (be it PR, precedent, etc)

I could never defend a cyber squatter

[Gadget_Guy]

If the domain owner had actually been using the name (rather than just to show a default launch page) then I might have some sympathy for them. But those people who speculatively register thousands of domains just to extort money from legitimate users deserve to be sued.

Nobody should ever reward the bad practices of those douchebags. They are the equivalent of patent trolls.

Re:I could never defend a cyber squatter

[Nyder]

If the domain owner had actually been using the name (rather than just to show a default launch page) then I might have some sympathy for them. But those people who speculatively register thousands of domains just to extort money from legitimate users deserve to be sued.

Nobody should ever reward the bad practices of those douchebags. They are the equivalent of patent trolls.

I don't agree. Sure, it sucks, but the name is property. People buy up property cheap all the time with the hopes that the area might become developed and the property will go up in price.

Just because MS wants it doesn't mean they should get it. Just because the person hasn't done anything with his website doesn't mean MS should get it. This is mostly just catering to the corporations.

MS should of bought all the Xbox* names they could of back when they released the original xbox. They didn't, tough shit, imo.

And why do you need a new website name for a new console? Why not just have Xbox.com show the new console? It's not like they are going to keep selling and advertising the Xbox 360 after the Xbox One is released.

Re:Ask any McDonald about mcdonalds.com domain

[meerling]

The first Xbox came out, it was named Xbox, and everyone called it Xbox.
The second Xbox came out, it was named Xbox 360, everyone called it xbox, and started calling the previous one Xbox 1 to differentiate since nobody wanted to say Xbox three sixty.
The third Xbox is announced, it is named Xbox One, everyone realizes that Microsoft should stop hiring brain dead monkeys for their naming division.

Re:Ask any McDonald about mcdonalds.com domain

[LordLucless]

You don't need permission to use trademarks, if they're not being used in a manner likely to confuse consumers. Company names are also trademarks, but Slashdot isn't going to get in trouble for including "Microsoft" in this article. Whether the use of the logo in this particular case is likely to cause people to think it was an official X-box site is another question, but one that is only likely to be answerable by a judge.