‘Candy Crush Saga’ holds on tight to its product, trademarking ‘candy’

Cell phone users go through multiple mobile gaming phases, and the latest addiction is "Candy Crush Saga," a free game available on Android and iOS devices.

It is unclear how long people will be hooked to this game, but parent company King.com Limited is making sure imitators back off because it received approval to trademark the use of the word "candy" — within the realms of the video gaming world, according to Forbes Magazine.

Since the application has been approved, Apple is notifying other mobile applications that have candy references to "remove their apps from the App Store or prove that their games do not infringe upon the Candy Crush trademark," Forbes contributor Anthony Wing Kosner wrote.

Getting rights on such a broad term may be a challenge for some developers who feel their use of "candy" does not infringe on anyone's intellectual property rights, but a King.com representative explained that there are exceptions to this situation. For example, video games that utilize candy in a way that is completely different from Candy Crush will not have to worry about losing their place in the App Store.

"Candy Casino Slots – Jewel Craze Connect: Big Blast Mania Land" was one of the programs that have been targeted by Candy Crush because the King.com spokesman told the source that: "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 is also a clear breach of Apple's terms of use." 

It is unclear how Candy Casino Slots developer Benny Hsu will respond to Candy Crush's allegations, but it is likely that Candy Crush will continue to get in touch with other supposed copycat apps in the near future.

Up and coming businesses may also find themselves in these positions in the near future. Before proceedings get messy, consider partnering with a small business attorney. 

Categorised in: Business Law

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