How'd you like that, Sony?
Valuable domain name is nabbed from under Sony's nose
The practice of 'cyber-squatting' - which basically means buying a domain name in the hope that it will one day become valuable - has been commonplace for a while now, but this is one of the more amusing episodes we've witnessed.
An industrious Chinese person has registered the domain name www.pspgo.co.uk, probably thinking that Sony will open its chequebook come release time and buy it off them.
We're not sure if that has happened or if Sony has decided it doesn't want the domain after all, but the squatter in question has decided to turn the site into a fully-working replica of Nintendo's own DSi site.
Even if Sony isn't playing ball, this is likely to make the company feel a little bit silly.
The site might not be live for much longer so be sure to take a look and have a giggle.
1. Kawaiipikachu
17 Aug 2009, 14:18 BST
Hehehe um amazing.
I thing Playstation3.com.au is avalable so I might set up a Wii site there.
2. TwilightV
17 Aug 2009, 14:20 BST
WIN GET!
3. thebigM
17 Aug 2009, 14:25 BST
very nice... another proof, that Nintendo gamers are more clever / creative
4. King Elemento
17 Aug 2009, 14:27 BST
Old. Also, I believe it was actually set up before the PSP Go! was announced as the official name.
But it's still pretty funny.
5. uel
17 Aug 2009, 14:30 BST
Why would the website be taken down? Is it against the law?
6. Gabbo
17 Aug 2009, 14:30 BST
This is trademark infringement against Sony and Copyright infringement against Nintendo. Nothing to be happy about any more than the existance of thousands of piracy sites out there.
7. ganondwarf16
17 Aug 2009, 14:33 BST
what happened to my comment?
8. Hardy83
17 Aug 2009, 14:42 BST
Yeah, Sony might not care to buy it, but Nintendo could force them to shutdown because their trademarked and copyrighted images the site now.
9. arnpoly
17 Aug 2009, 15:03 BST
It looks like it was just set up to forward to Nintendo's own DS-i homepage. All the links on the main page refer to Nintendo's website.
10. Machu
17 Aug 2009, 15:08 BST
I hope Sony let it lie and use a different address, so as not to admit their mistake. I hope Nintendo see the marketing advantages and leave it where it is.
Best Nintendork fueled prank ever, ha!
11. Ryuuga
17 Aug 2009, 15:10 BST
LOL that was awesome! XD
12. SUPERZELDAMAN
17 Aug 2009, 15:12 BST
lol go nintendo!
13. Turkey Brutus
17 Aug 2009, 15:55 BST
@ganondwarf16:
This happened to your comment:
http://www.nintendolife.com/forums/announcements/first_and_corbies_favourite_number_7_comments
14. KDR_11k
17 Aug 2009, 16:23 BST
Corbie could change the scythe of his avatar into a 7...
15. Odnetnin
17 Aug 2009, 16:39 BST
Ready the deletion gun, mods!
16. Koto
17 Aug 2009, 16:53 BST
lol sony would probably just use go.psp.com.uk if they need a UK website
17. Kirk
17 Aug 2009, 17:21 BST
This actually looks like an official Nintendo site.
It would be kinda funny if Nintendo actually did this because then it really would be just a little bit genius.
18. cryptonic
17 Aug 2009, 17:28 BST
old...very very very very very very OOOOLLLLDD
19. RaviC
17 Aug 2009, 17:45 BST
This is simply a link to NoA's official DSi Site. Right click and select page source and see for yourself. Nintendo won't have any reason to complain.
20. Starwolf_UK
17 Aug 2009, 18:36 BST
but the squatter in question has decided to turn the site into a fully-working replica of Nintendo's own DSi site
I think you mean redirect it to Nintendo's own DSi site.
@Koto. uk.psp.com/enteretainment/go surley? Still, going to pspgo.co.uk or psp-go.co.uk would re-direct to those if Sony cared. Thing is Sony might have cared but they didn't want to register the domain to keep the leaked announcement still secret...
21. Stevie
17 Aug 2009, 19:06 BST
I think Iwata is behind this.
22. Odnetnin
17 Aug 2009, 19:11 BST
Is this newsworthy?
23. ganondwarf16
17 Aug 2009, 19:34 BST
I didn't even mean it to be a first I just don't see this kind of thing in the news
24. Viral
17 Aug 2009, 19:49 BST
Awesome...
25. LEGEND MARIOID
17 Aug 2009, 19:56 BST
??????
26. tatemon555
17 Aug 2009, 20:31 BST
That is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take that, Sony. You just got owned.
27. WhoKnew
17 Aug 2009, 20:33 BST
And thats one more point for Nintendo.
28. Turkey Brutus
17 Aug 2009, 21:03 BST
@ganondwarf16:
Mmhmm. You're aware that your comment was word-for-word (well, with the exception of the LAST word) identical to the first example in that thread I linked you to?
I'm sure we'd all be fascinated by how many people are reading this here FIRST, but try something a little more substantial than that.
29. MrPanic
17 Aug 2009, 21:15 BST
It's gone.
30. anthonyb
17 Aug 2009, 22:13 BST
I think it's funny that it was used for DSi advertisement! XD It's seems I just missed it though- it appears someone has already taken it down. Oh well.
@Chicken Brutus: I'm glad someone stepped in and stopped the whole "first!" thing- that gets irritating, and I'm simply a reader. Also, same thing with the "Corbie only gives 7's". Both of those type comments are indeed old- I was actually wanting to inquire about that a while back. Anywho, cheers to more engaging comments!
31. BlueFlameBat
18 Aug 2009, 01:11 BST
I hate cyber-squatters.
32. City Of Delusion
18 Aug 2009, 13:22 BST
The squatters are still out in force: it's now the "Product Service for Project GnOme"...
33. StarDust
20 Aug 2009, 16:22 BST
Um, no:
Program Service for Project GNOME Organization
www.PSPGO.co.uk
Rats, I'm too late. Hmmm, maybe it'll appear someday on archive.org.
EDIT: I remember the good old days (before the big Dotcom bust in 2001-2002), when you could key in www.[insert random word or phrase here].com and find some really cool stuff. It used to be pretty fun, and my friend and I made a game out of it. If you try to play that game on today's internet, you will most likely be redirected to ad portals, popups, "This domain for sale" messages, malware, and adult web sites.
34. Ashen_Iris
18 Sep 2009, 20:00 BST
That is awesome
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