Microsoft grabs Xbox 8 domains, sends rumour mill into overdrive

As a part of its ongoing marketing strategy, Microsoft seems to be expanding on its acquisition of domain names. Such purchases are always the first to spark of rumours of a new product in the market and a specific name. This time it is the procurement of multiple ownerships, some of which include the domain name Xbox 8.

According to Fusible.com, Microsoft Corporation recently won two disputes over a batch of Xbox-related domains owned by a resident of China who apparently goes by the name "Cheng Juan". The disputed domain names include XboxPhone.com, XboxTablet.com, XboxLiveTV.com, XboxCompanion.com, and surprisingly, Xbox8.us and Xbox8.org.

The first four domain names obtained are understandable enough. But the last two come as a real surprise, especially since we were pondering that Microsoft would release the Xbox 720, according to online leaked documents. So where does this new Xbox 8 enter the picture from?

One view could be that with the onset of the new Windows 8, Microsoft may design and release a new Xbox of the same numerical name so that it appears as one unified set of products, equating the release of the operating system with the console.

Another curious inversion of the number 8 could be the word infinity, which is represented by the number 8 written on its side, ergo leading to the name Xbox Infinity. A far simpler interpretation would be on the basis of the age of the console, which completes its eighth birthday next year.

:story: NDTV