Microsoft Doesn't Own XboxOne.com, Files Dispute Against Guy Who Does

Though it may seem ridiculous that Microsoft would name its new console without already owning the domain name for it, there are a couple of mitigating factors here. One is that the guy who owns XboxOne.com registered the name almost two years ago. That's some good guessing!

Fusible reports that Microsoft has filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain name to thwart the lucky cybersquatter, whom records say is a resident of the U.K. and registered the name in December 2011. XboxOne.net also is covered in the same complaint, indicating it is owned by the same person, Fusible notes.

Domain registrations are public (indeed, Fusible sniffs out all of them for clues on upcoming games, movies and whatnot). Worse, to have entered into a legal dispute over ownership of a domain name for which no product or service currently existed, would have tipped off everyone what Microsoft was going to call its next console. So the company probably figured it just had to suck it up and battle this thing out after they announced the device. Microsoft seems to have done well in these disputes anyway.

German regulator has Xbox One privacy concerns

THE GERMAN data protection commissioner has warned Microsoft that it's Xbox One could represent a privacy threat.

The Xbox One was announced just last week and has courted controversy by not being clear about certain elements of its performance, costs, digital rights management and now its privacy implications.

The Federal Data Protection Commissioner Peter Schaar spoke to Der Spiegel, telling it that if he knows one thing about the console, it is that it is a risky proposition.

"Microsoft pushes a monitoring device in the market," he said. "The Xbox continuously records all sorts of personal information about me. Reaction rates, my learning or emotional states. These are then processed on an external server, and possibly even passed on to third parties. Whether they will ever deleted, the person can not influence."

Microsoft is investing $1 billion into games on the Xbox One, financing not only new studios but also securing exclusives for Microsoft's next-generation console. This is an unprecedented investment for Microsoft, much more than its most expensive game yet, Halo 4.

Xbox One is planned to have 15 exclusives from Microsoft in its first year at retail, including eight new intellectual properties - the product of two years that has seen the formation of new studios in London, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia. Phil Harrison, former Sony exec, was brought on to oversee internal projects; Lionhead's new boss is John Needham, a guy with a heavy MMO background.

Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer told OXM Rare is returning to one of its older franchises (Killer Instinct, anyone?) and Black Tusk Studios is hard at work on Microsoft's next big franchise. Lift London is working on smaller cloud-based games, while Microsoft Studios Osaka has a project under way - something Don Mattrick says will illustrate how Microsoft is "committed" to Japan. Finally, Press Play and Twisted Pixel are in Microsoft's bullpen, working on "weird, unique" games for Xbox Live.

And that's not counting the continuing Call of Duty exclusivity deal and games Microsoft did talk about during its Xbox reveal event: Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 5; Remedy Entertainment's Quantum Break; and four games from EA Sports in UFC, Madden 25, FIFA 14 and NBA Live 14. Later, Crytek confirmed its Kinect-powered brawler Ryse is coming to Xbox One.

Xbox One is due later this year, with more to be shown at E3 between June 9 and June 11 in Los Angeles, California.