Candy Crush maker trademarks the word 'candy' so nobody else can use it

Published January 22, 2014 10:36am

UPDATED Sweet news for the developer of the hit mobile game "Candy Crush Saga," sour news for other developers making apps whose names include the word "Candy."

The US Patent and Trademark Office granted the trademark claim of King.com, maker of the hit mobile game, for the word "candy."

A post on Trademarkia.com said the patent applies not only to recording, transmission or reproduction of sound and images but also various media, computing devices, and even clothing and educational services.

King had sought a trademark for the word "candy" as early as Feb. 6 last year, according to Gamezebo.com.

Developers of other apps with the word "candy" immediately felt the effect of the development getting emails from Apple on behalf of King and asking them to remove their apps or prove their games do not infringe on King's new trademark.

“Lots of devs are frustrated cause it seems so ridiculous” Gamezebo quoted Benny Hsu, the maker of All Candy Casino Slots – Jewel Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land, as saying.

Hsu said his game, which has no similarities with King’s properties, is among the games that have been targeted by King.

When he contacted King's lawyer Sophie Hallstrom to clarify the matter, he was told his use of "CANDY SLOTS" in his app icon "uses our CANDY trade mark exactly, for identical goods, which amounts to trade mark infringement and is likely to lead to consumer confusion and damage to our brand.”

Apple protocol

But a separate article on Mashable said the emails the developers have received were in line with Apple's protocol.

It said Apple automatically sends out emails asking the two parties to connect when a claim is filed.

"Such emails therefore don't necessarily mean the tech giant is working alongside King; it's simply the protocol that takes place when a user files a claim against another developer," it said.

Official statement from King

Representatives of King.com got in touch with GMA News Online early Thursday and provided the following official statement from the game maker:

"We have trademarked the word 'CANDY' in the EU, as our IP is constantly being infringed and we have to enforce our rights and to protect our players from confusion. We don't enforce against all uses of CANDY – some are legitimate and of course, we would not ask App developers who use the term legitimately to stop doing so.

The particular App in this instance was called 'Candy Casino Slots – Jewels Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land', but its icon in the App store just says 'Candy Slots', focusing heavily on our trademark. As well as infringing our and other developer's IP, use of keywords like this as an App name is also a clear breach of Apple's terms of use. We believe this App name was a calculated attempt to use other companies’ IP to enhance its own games, through means such as search rankings."

— TJD, GMA News

Tags: candycrush, trademark, patent