Game.co.uk domain dispute

[SAS]

A current dispute over the Game.co.uk domain could impact e-commerce across the UK

A game industry consultant Garth Sumpter bought game.co.uk in October 1995. Soon after he set up a small game selling business, but after Electronic Boutique rebranded to GAME Group Ltd they placed a claim on the domain stating Garth was trading off the reputation of their name.

Domain register Nominet awarded GAME Group Ltd the domain causing Garth to appeal the decision.

...If a big company can shut down an existing online business - and competitor - through financial might, and over a generic name such as "game", it could have dire knock-on effects for the hundreds of thousands of small online businesses running from .uk domains...

The Register has a four page report on the dispute, and for further reading you can feast your eyes on the full registered appeal regarding the domain.

 

[DaGaffer]

I can't really comment on this as I'm still subject to corporate confidentiality despite not working for GAME anymore, but suffice to say there's a lot more to it than "evil corporate beats up the little guy" and the inference about its knock-on effects on other sites is pretty specious. Given my previous experience of domain name disputes, I was quite surprised that GAME won, but I have to say I also think it was absolutely the right decision in this case.

 

[Cask]

As a consumer I don't find it unfair that big brand names can take control of relevant domains. In fact I think that it's in my interest to ensure that I can't be duped into entering a website that I had assumed I could trust due to the familiar URL.

Bout all I can say without reading the articles

 

[Guest]

He should have took the £100,000. What a donkey

 

[Tom]

If Game group holds the Game trademark, and they registered their company name and logo before the defendant did, I'm afraid he'll lose.

Mind you, I don't think you can actually trademark an address, can you, doesn't matter if its real or virtual.