.cyou

Overview

• .cyou is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) in the Domain Name System.
• The string is marketed as the phrase "see you" and positioned for branding uses that play on that phrase.

History

• Introduced and delegated into the DNS in 2015 (delegation reports cite March 31, 2015; ICANN records show delegation implemented in early April 2015).
• Initially delegated to Beijing Gamease Age Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (the applicant, often referenced as "Cyou").
• Transferred to ShortDot SA (a Luxembourg company) on May 14, 2020; ShortDot SA is reported as the manager/registry for the string.
• Registrations: approximately 89,288 registered domains (per reported registry statistics cited on Wikipedia/ntldstats).
• DNSSEC: Yes (the zone is DNSSEC-enabled).

Usage and Audience

• Original applicant and early intent:
  • Beijing Gamease Age Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (Cyou) applied for the gTLD to protect Changyou.com and Cyou.com trademarks and to provide a namespace for its entertainment and online game services.
  • The applicant's original plan described a conservative, limited rollout focused on Corporate Internal Users (CIUs) affiliated with the company.
• Current positioning:
  • The string is marketed for broader branding uses as "see you", and later operation opened up for public registrations.
• Typical audiences include brands, marketers, entertainment and community sites, or any registrant seeking a memorable, phrase-driven domain name.

Registration Rules

• Public registrations are available (Wikipedia infobox lists "Public registrations available").
• The original application described an initial plan to restrict registrations to a limited number of Corporate Internal Users, but operational policies evolved toward public availability.

SEO and Brand Impact

• Brand positioning: the gTLD is explicitly marketed as the phrase "see you", which supports memorable, conversational brand and marketing uses.
• Security: the zone is DNSSEC-enabled, which supports DNS integrity for domain holders.

Notable Cases or Examples

• Applicant and motivation: Beijing Gamease Age Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (Cyou) applied for the gTLD to protect related trademarks (Changyou.com, Cyou.com) and to create a trusted namespace for its services.
• Operational change: delegation and initial operation under the applicant were followed by an IANA-documented transfer to ShortDot SA in May 2020, after which ShortDot SA is reported to manage the TLD.

% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       CYOU

organisation: Shortdot SA
address:      29 Boulevard de la Grande-Duchesse Charlotte
address:      Luxembourg L-1331
address:      Luxembourg

contact:      administrative
name:         Lars Jensen
organisation: Shortdot SA
address:      29 Boulevard de la Grande-Duchesse Charlotte
address:      Luxembourg L-1331
address:      Luxembourg
phone:        +352621811103
fax-no:       +35227862529
e-mail:       sales@nic.icu

contact:      technical
name:         CTO
organisation: CentralNic
address:      Saddlers House, 4th Floor
address:      44 Gutter Lane
address:      London EC2V 6BR
address:      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone:        +44 20 33 88 0600
fax-no:       +44 20 33 88 0601
e-mail:       tld.ops@centralnic.com

nserver:      A.NIC.CYOU 194.169.218.120 2001:67c:13cc:0:0:0:1:120
nserver:      B.NIC.CYOU 185.24.64.120 2a04:2b00:13cc:0:0:0:1:120
nserver:      C.NIC.CYOU 212.18.248.120 2a04:2b00:13ee:0:0:0:0:120
nserver:      D.NIC.CYOU 212.18.249.120 2a04:2b00:13ff:0:0:0:0:120
ds-rdata:     19927 13 2 2079b2824eee39ec9ab51f32b199a6bcc68162ca56bd12c2740b8c800fc611c4
ds-rdata:     14103 13 2 579e60f99fbb5da7942ead76a5f2c5e5c2f7b6e7376d3d76363b6314c660dc28

whois:        whois.nic.cyou

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://cy.changyou.com

created:      2015-03-19
changed:      2024-06-19
source:       IANA