Microsoft claims Xbox8 domain names in arbitration
updated 07:32 pm EDT, Wed July 4, 2012
China-based domain squatter fails to respond to complaint
Microsoft has won two domain-related disputes with a resident of China. The person, identified as “Cheng Juan” in the complaint, registered various domains through GoDaddy.com in what appears to be an extensive domain-squatting bid. According to Fusible, the complaints were filed with the National Arbitration Forum in late May, with the decision in Microsoft's favor published late last month.
The domains in question were xboxphone.com, xboxtablet.com, xboxlivetv.com, xboxcompanion.com, xbox8.us and xbox8.org. Notices of complaint were sent to the defending party via email to all of the listed domains, and by post to addresses left as part of the registrations, however no response was received in time.
Despite the lack of communication with Cheng Juan, the domains were taken to two panels for adjudication, who both found the respondent to have no rights nor interests in the domains and registered them in bad faith. The domains were ordered to be transferred to Microsoft.
The choice to register the names xbox8.us and xbox8.org seem to be strange at first, as previously speculated names for the next Xbox have included the Xbox 720, Xbox Loop, Project 10, and a continuation of its current codename, Durango. Possible reasons include calling the future console the Xbox Infinity, due to the infinity symbol being a sideways 8, or a possible but unlikely combination of both Xbox and Windows 8.
