Diablo III Wild Speculation and Rumor Mongering Abounds

[Grand Design]

This is over a week old, but I didn't see it mentioned here.  Den me if mistaken, or if you're just feeling snarky.

Blizzard has recently acquired www.Diablo3.com and issued a statement denying any signifigance that rabid fanbois might gleen from such a move.

The last line of this article caught my attention.

Another possible (Blizzcon) announcement could be the revival of the Diablo series, idea backed up by the fact that the company has bought the diablo3.com domain name.

And a GoDaddy search revealed that a Roger Barr remains the owner of the site.  What gives?  Mr. Barr himself explains the situation to his community.

... while Blizzard is indeed acquiring the diablo3.com domain name, they told me that this shouldn't be considered an announcement for the Diablo 3 game we've been waiting for all these years. They acquire new domains all the time. While this is true, I personally can't help but think that this is a confirmation of sorts that they're working on the next Diablo game. Sure, they can claim it's because they want to protect their intellectual properties 'n what have you, but I can't imagine they would all of a sudden be so interested in the diablo3.com domain if they weren't working on a new Diablo 3 game behind the scenes.

Hmm.  So, Diablo3.com will soon become Blizzard's property based on the idea of 'protecting their intellectual property.'  But, unless there is already something to be called 'Diablo 3', then there is no intellectual property to protect.  They were just fine with Mr. Barr's website until now, and he has not abused the use of the name.  If there were no Diablo 3 then he could happily use it until he finally realized that the Diablo craze happened last century.

(I should point out that Mr. Barr is transferring ownership of the domain name and not selling it - which indicates a more-than-amicable arrangement with Blizzard.  I raise this to illustrate that if the acquisition were only to prevent the besmirching of the Diablo name, the agreement probably would have involved substantial monies.)

Such circular logic dictates that THERE IS A DIABLO 3 IN THE WORKS.  OMFG.  PANIC.

[schild]

I would sell the shit out of it.

Barr is a fool and a moron.

[Grand Design]

That was my thought.  Blizzard is richer than the Catholic Church - he could have asked for his silver pieces.  He's getting some exclusive rights out of the deal - which is yet another indicator that Diablo 3 is somewhat of a reality at this point.

[Samwise]

Why the hell would you register a name like that if the idea wasn't to make Blizzard pay through the nose for it?  Even if Diablo 3 doesn't come out this year or next year, they're going to want to go back to that well SOMEDAY.

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

[Trippy]

Why the hell would you register a name like that if the idea wasn't to make Blizzard pay through the nose for it?  Even if Diablo 3 doesn't come out this year or next year, they're going to want to go back to that well SOMEDAY.

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

Because Blizzard owns the trademark on that name as it applies to video games and movies and probably other entertainment products as well.

[Ratman_tf]

Diablo came to his house and "convinced" him to give up the domain.

[Ookii]

He was saving it so he'd be the first to know when Diablo III was coming out.

[Samwise]

Why the hell would you register a name like that if the idea wasn't to make Blizzard pay through the nose for it?  Even if Diablo 3 doesn't come out this year or next year, they're going to want to go back to that well SOMEDAY.

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

Because Blizzard owns the trademark on that name as it applies to video games and movies and probably other entertainment products as well.

...and that prevents you from making them pay through the nose for it how?  Just don't make it a Diablo fansite.  Name your cat El Diablo, fill it with cat pictures, and say that you couldn't bear the emotional trauma of moving them for anything less than...

[Trippy]

Why the hell would you register a name like that if the idea wasn't to make Blizzard pay through the nose for it?  Even if Diablo 3 doesn't come out this year or next year, they're going to want to go back to that well SOMEDAY.

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

Because Blizzard owns the trademark on that name as it applies to video games and movies and probably other entertainment products as well.

...and that prevents you from making them pay through the nose for it how?  Just don't make it a Diablo fansite.  Name your cat El Diablo, fill it with cat pictures, and say that you couldn't bear the emotional trauma of moving them for anything less than...

You could try. However the courts have been very good about forcing "domain name squatters" to give up their domain names to trademark holders. If you have the money to pay for those legal costs you could try and hold on to it. For Blizzard the costs are just a drop in the bucket and they love going to court anyways.

[Samwise]

So now I'm curious what would happen if, say, Lamborghini decided they wanted www.diablo.com.  They've been making Diablos longer than Blizzard has, right?

[Grand Design]

At what point does Satan step in and just render the argument pointless?

[Trippy]

So now I'm curious what would happen if, say, Lamborghini decided they wanted www.diablo.com.  They've been making Diablos longer than Blizzard has, right?

Since it's an international dispute I would assume it would go to WIPO for arbitration. If both sides have valid trademark claims in non-overlapping domains my guess it whoever registered it first would get to keep it but I'm not an IP lawyer.

[Ratman_tf]

At what point does Satan step in and just render the argument pointless?

[Murgos]

So now I'm curious what would happen if, say, Lamborghini decided they wanted www.diablo.com.  They've been making Diablos longer than Blizzard has, right?

http://www.nissan.com/

Nissan Motor Sued Nissan Computer For Trademark Infringement,
Trademark Dilution And Cyber-Squatting
Seeking 10 Million Dollars In Damages
This is after more than 20 years of Mr. Nissan's well-documented prior use
of his family name for business purposes in the United States
which he commenced when the cars were known as DATSUN.

And etc...

[Grand Design]

http://www.nissan.com/

Holy stupidity.

Its a good thing we all use Google now instead of typing in domain names.

That felt like it should have been green.

[KallDrexx]

jesus.  8 years.  Perfect example of how corporations have all the power.

[Cim]

I'm kind of excited for this, I'm not too sure yet.

[Samwise]

jesus.  8 years.  Perfect example of how corporations have all the power.

But, y'know, copyright and trademark laws are really all about protecting small businesses.  I'm sure the lawsuit was for Mr. Nissan's own good.

[Velorath]

Such circular logic dictates that THERE IS A DIABLO 3 IN THE WORKS.  OMFG.  PANIC.

I'd imagine it's been in the works to some extent or another for years now.  Certainly there've been enough rumblings about it in the past several years that I'd be very suprised if they hadn't worked up a number of concepts for it which didn't work out for whatever reason.

[Merusk]

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

For those who haven't gone there already, it's registered and redirects to www.word-of-diablo.com.  (A page that merely has a link that says "Censored by Theesa" ZOMG BLIZZARD IS MAKING WORLD OF DIABLO BUT THE ESA IS KEEPING THEM DOWN!!!

[WindupAtheist]

Starctaft 2 leads into Starcraft Galaxies or whatever they call the MMO.  Then Diablo 3 leads into World of Diablocraft.

[IainC]

Someone get me diablo4.com, STAT.

For those who haven't gone there already, it's registered and redirects to www.word-of-diablo.com.  (A page that merely has a link that says "Censored by Theesa" ZOMG BLIZZARD IS MAKING WORLD OF DIABLO BUT THE ESA IS KEEPING THEM DOWN!!!

But Vivendi-Acti-Blizzard-super-mega-dev-o-tron isn't a member of the ESA...

[Merusk]

Exactly! they left because the man was keeping them down! It all comes together! 

[Grand Design]

G4 joins the speculation with a list of significant dates..

..which happen to coincide with PC Gamer announcing that the issue to be published in late June will contain a "top-secret cover story so huge we had to go to [CENSORED] to get it.."

Shacknews posts the usual Blizzard "zere is nussing to see here.." response.

Play.tm points out that, "The plot thickens further when you consider that PC Gamer carried the exclusive announcement of StarCraft II last year.."

[schild]

There is no plot. WoW is out. Starcraft II was announced. They only have 1 other license that's worth anything.

[Grand Design]

Personally, I was hoping for Rock N' Roll Racing, but you may have a point.

[Azazel]

Lost Vikings?

Hey, it'd work on XBLA. So would R&R Racing, for that matter.

[Ratman_tf]

There is no plot. WoW is out. Starcraft II was announced. They only have 1 other license that's worth anything.

Fuck Yea!

[Grand Design]

Sorry to get your hopes up, but we can officially deny that Diablo is on our cover next month. We're announcing something big and exciting and exclusive (actually, there are two big exciting exclusive announcements in this issue!), and we had to go a long way to get it, but it's not from Blizzard.

Story from Tom's Games.

Bastards.

[El Gallo]

World of Diablocraft will mark the end of my participation in civilized society. And in bathing.

[schild]

World of Diablocraft will mark the end of my participation in civilized society. And in bathing.

El Gallo, we should be friends.

[Lantyssa]

I can picture it already:

<sound of a ring drop>
<victory grunts all around>

[schild]

Oh god, if the teaser at Blizzcon was a really high-res ring dropping and then the drop ping. I would shit myself.

[stu]

Checking out some of those news links made me feel like I was reading Foucault's Pendulum.

...and set to invent their own conspiracy for fun. They call this satirical intellectual game "The Plan".

As Belbo, Diotallevi and Casaubon become increasingly obsessed with The Plan, they sometimes forget that it's just a game. Worse still, when adherents of other conspiracy theories learn about The Plan, they take it seriously. Belbo finds himself the target of a very real secret society that believes he possesses the key to the...

It's a web of madness!

[Samwise]

Oh god, if the teaser at Blizzcon was a really high-res ring dropping and then the drop ping. I would shit myself.