Someone Managed to Buy One of Google's Domain Names for $3

A web developer from Argentina managed to buy one of Google's official domain names for less than $3 while the site was down last week. As reported by the BBC, Nicolas Kuroña purchased Google.com.ar legally after discovering the domain was temporarily down via WhatsApp messages from his friends. Kuroña used the Network Information Center Argentina website to purchase the domain, where it was up for sale for a brief amount of time. The domain cost Kuroña just 270 pesos (£2.08 / $2.90 USD / $3.72 AUD). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/22/google-stadia-review"] The web developer clearly didn't expect the purchase to go through: "I want to make it clear that I never had any bad intentions, I just tried to buy it and the NIC allowed me to," Kuroña told the BBC. "When the purchase process was completed and my data appeared, I knew that something was going to happen... I was really anxious," Kuroña said. Kuroña took to Twitter to explain himself as his personal data appeared where Google's landing page should be. Google Argentina has since said that the domain didn't expire, noting that its expiration date was actually July 2021. At the moment nobody really knows why it was up for sale. Naturally, Google quickly reobtained the domain name (with Kuroña making clear that he didn't get into any trouble as a result). Google says it's investigating what happened. In other Google news, the Xbox Series X and S are set to receive an upgraded browser that can play Google Stadia games. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.