.games

Overview

• .games is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) introduced through ICANN's New gTLD Program.
• The TLD is intended for gaming, contests, recreation and related communities and businesses, facilitating search, self-expression and online identity for people and organizations involved with games.
• The ICANNWiki entry indicates Donuts (Foggy Beach, LLC) was the sole applicant and manager; the registry field on the entry also lists Demand Media.

History

• 13 June 2012 — Reveal Day for new gTLD applications (Donuts was a documented applicant for .games).
• September 2013 — Google filed a string confusion objection against .games (in relation to .game); panelist Earl Cherniak ruled in Google's favor, creating a contention context between applicants for .games and .game.
• 02 June 2016 — .games was delegated (implementation date listed in the ICANNWiki entry).

Usage and Audience

• Targeted users include individuals of all ages, businesses, sporting organizations, equipment manufacturers, game designers, venues, game shops and other entities involved in games and recreation.
• Donuts positioned the TLD as attractive to millions of people and organizations that create, stage, participate in or enjoy games and related online discussion and commerce.

Registration Rules

• Donuts stated an intention to keep registration policies inclusive and to avoid denying access on the basis of identity alone.
• No single entity or group was to have exclusive rights to second-level names in the TLD, per the applicant's statement.
• The operator committed to an array of protections against abuse, including mechanisms to address trademark concerns and to minimize fraud and other malicious activity, while favoring open access to registrants.

SEO and Brand Impact

• The registry application framed .games as a term that can better facilitate search and discoverability for gaming-related content and services.
• The operator committed to operate the TLD "in a highly secure manner" and to pursue a downward trend in fraud and abuse incidents, positioning .games as a safer namespace compared with some incumbent TLDs.

Notable Cases or Examples

• String confusion objection: Google objected that .games would be confused with .game. Panelist Earl Cherniak ruled for Google, resulting in contention between Donuts (the sole .games applicant) and other applicants for .game.

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

domain:       GAMES

organisation: Dog Beach, LLC
address:      c/o Identity Digital Limited
address:      10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750
address:      Bellevue WA 98004
address:      United States of America (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         Vice President, Engineering
organisation: Identity Digital Limited
address:      10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750
address:      Bellevue WA 98004
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1.425.298.2200
fax-no:       +1.425.671.0020
e-mail:       tldadmin@identity.digital

contact:      technical
name:         Senior Director, DNS Infrastructure Group
organisation: Identity Digital Limited
address:      10500 NE 8th Street, Suite 750
address:      Bellevue WA 98004
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1.425.298.2200
fax-no:       +1.425.671.0020
e-mail:       tldtech@identity.digital

nserver:      V0N0.NIC.GAMES 2a01:8840:16:0:0:0:0:39 65.22.20.39
nserver:      V0N1.NIC.GAMES 2a01:8840:17:0:0:0:0:39 65.22.21.39
nserver:      V0N2.NIC.GAMES 2a01:8840:18:0:0:0:0:39 65.22.22.39
nserver:      V0N3.NIC.GAMES 161.232.10.39 2a01:8840:f4:0:0:0:0:39
nserver:      V2N0.NIC.GAMES 2a01:8840:19:0:0:0:0:39 65.22.23.39
nserver:      V2N1.NIC.GAMES 161.232.11.39 2a01:8840:f5:0:0:0:0:39
ds-rdata:     54412 8 2 a5cc38e38a2d92016aaac71830fb380afffb9137bc360f97dd576bd73f9d39f6

whois:        whois.nic.games

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: https://www.identity.digital/

created:      2016-05-24
changed:      2023-09-12
source:       IANA