Domain whores

[Jiro]

Square Enix have registered Just Cause 4 domains already (http://whatculture.com/gaming/square-enix-registers-just-cause-4-domain-names.php). I don't know what it is with these companies and registering names for games they haven't even made. Particularly in this case where they haven't even announced the third game.

[Rantz]

It's cause people are opportunists and will buy up domains that companies are likely to want later on, only to sell them for big bags with dollar signs on them when the company needs them. From the company's point of view it's just a preventative measure, so I don't blame them. It's not like they're making a press release about it, it's just how many fans choose to interpret it.

[Hollycat]

Don't they have like finalfantasy registered up to XXX or something?

[Roto13]

Like Rantz says, they buy domains so nobody else will take them before they need them. A few years ago, Nintendo trademarked a ton of different Pokemon names (http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2009/01/21/pokemon-black-white-brown-gray-purple-scarlet-and-crimson-trademarked-by-nintendo.htm), including Crimson, Purple, and Brown. Also Black and White, which hadn't been announced yet. It's just preventative. Nothing wrong with calling dibs on obvious names for sequels. :P It's not like anyone else who would have bought Just Cause 4 would have put it to a more legitimate use than Squenix.

[Sephex]

Rantz and Roto covered it. Preventive measure. Or they like to **** with us when they register things like, "Chrono Break" and not do a damn thing with it.

[krissy]

my worry about buying out domain stock like this is
once they realize the name is taken
they can just be like justcause4game.com
instead of just .com
and they'll still get more hits cause they'll pay google or something
not sure what's cheaper

[Behold the Void]

my worry about buying out domain stock like this is
once they realize the name is taken
they can just be like justcause4game.com
instead of just .com
and they'll still get more hits cause they'll pay google or something
not sure what's cheaper

Not really. A simpler URL is generally better and likely to produce more hits and a domain name shark out to make a quick buck is not going to have nearly the means of an actual company to bring their domain to the foreground on Google. That's why the companies are so keen on pre-empting it, it's easier in the long run and someone trying to compete with a false site will just get buried.

[krissy]

ubisoft bought out watchdogs2.com >:O

[edczxcvbnm]

This is a preventative measure but cyber squatting on a domain that you have no legitimate claim to over a trademark holder such as JustCause4.com would just get the name transferred from you to the company in court due to the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act.

But for a pitiful $10ish bucks a year they can register a hundred names for the cost of either paying for the name or going to court over it.

[Loony BoB]

It's a nothing cost. I kept eyesonffxiv.com (with it doing nothing) for two years. Cost me $10, but if the game had kicked off like crazy it may well have been worth it. Not a great loss overall, nothing I couldn't save in a week without much effort if I needed to. SE could afford thousands of these.

[rubah]

It also is a way to protect their IP.

"we had these intentions as of XXXX date"

[Tranquil]

It's brand protection. Often the companies themselves don't register the domain names, but brand protection services like MarkMonitor do it for them.

I was involved in a particular case where I took advantage of a company not protection their brand via domain registrations and ended up getting laughed at in the end: Original Registrant of CamRoulette.com Sued - Domain Name Wire (http://domainnamewire.com/2010/05/31/original-registrant-of-camroulette-com-sued/)

[Tranquil]

Here's another very appropriate situation: As talk of Final Fantasy VII remake heats up, Square gets FinalFantasyviiPC.com (http://fusible.com/2012/06/as-talk-of-final-fantasy-vii-remake-heats-up-square-gets-finalfantasyviipc-com/)

They claim that an FF7 remake isn't coming, but this domain was snatched up recently. People are talking about it, and with them shrugging it to side, right not is an opportune moment for people to squat on this brand and trend. So, they snatch it up.